At the Army-2023 International Military-Technical Forum, a new unmanned attack air system, the Granat-PG bomber, was unveiled for the first time. Reports from TASS point to the Astron Optical-Mechanical Design Bureau as the developer behind this drone-based project.
According to the Design Bureau, the Granat-PG is designed to strike with a PG-7VL anti-tank grenade. This choice highlights a philosophy of using widely available munitions that are already stocked by Russian forces, ensuring that warheads remain accessible as long as the platform remains in service.
The Design Bureau emphasized that the drone has seen operational use in the special military operations area, reflecting its practical deployment in recent theaters of operation.
Granat-PG is described as an FPV drone, meaning it provides first-person view piloting. It carries a high-resolution thermal imaging camera capable of recognizing a human figure at up to 200 meters and vehicles at about 500 meters, enabling targeted engagement under varied conditions.
Authorities noted that the Granat-PG operates through secure communication channels that resist interference from enemy electronic warfare systems, a crucial feature for maintaining control in contested environments.
The system has a range of up to 5 kilometers, with a flight speed reaching approximately 140 kilometers per hour and a payload capacity of up to 1.6 kilograms, defining its operational envelope and effectiveness for close-range strikes and reconnaissance tasks.
In related developments, indications emerged of a Russian factory working on a universal unmanned boat, signaling continued diversification of unmanned systems across air and water platforms.
Commentary from observers notes that the most practical and widely adaptable weapons in the region are often those that can be produced and deployed with existing industrial capacity, pointing to a strategic preference for interoperable, maintainable equipment that can be scaled up as needed.