In Russia in the summer they will test the weapons of the heavy reconnaissance and strike unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) “Altius”, RIA Novosti reports, citing a source in the military-industrial complex.
According to the interlocutor of the agency, during the tests, it is planned to inflict from the UAV “the first airstrikes on targets at ranges with air-to-surface guided weapons, including high-precision guided missiles and guided bombs.”
The source added that during the tests it is planned to work out the destruction of such targets as, in particular, tanks, lightly armored vehicles, enemy manpower and enemy artillery.
In February, Interfax, referring to materials for the report of the Minister of Industry of Tatarstan Albert Karimov, said that the Russian Ministry of Defense had signed a contract for the purchase of the first batch of Altius.
In August 2019, military expert Dmitry Boltenkov said that the Altiuses would be the Russian response to the US strategic reconnaissance UAVs RQ-4 Global Hawk, making regular flights near Crimea.
At the same time, the Russian Ministry of Defense presented a video of the first flight of the Altius-U drone.
According to open data, the mass of “Altius” is estimated at six tons, two more tons can be occupied by missile and bomb weapons.
