The Russian attack and reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) Orion is in the same class of drones as the modern Turkish Bayraktar TB2 and the outdated American MQ-1 Predator, developed in the last century, writes The Drive.
The American edition notes that at present the United States is armed with a more powerful, heavy and expensive UAV MQ-9 Reaper, but in its niche Orion and Bayraktar TB2 have practically no competitors in the world.
The Drive praises the overseas sales model used by Russian Rosoboronexport, thanks to which Orion can gain a wider distribution in the world than Bayraktar TB2, which proved itself, in particular, during the recent conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The publication reminds that Russia became interested in such UAVs, which are becoming increasingly important in modern conflicts, after the armed conflict in South Ossetia (2008). The Drive writes that Moscow began mastering the relevant technologies with the acquisition of Searcher drones from Israel, on the basis of which the Russian “Outposts” were created.
Thus, the publication commented on the message of RIA Novosti, in which, with reference to a source in the military-industrial complex, it was argued that Orion had worked out launches of small-sized guided missiles and guided gliding bombs.
In November 2019, TASS, citing a source in the military-industrial complex, reported that the Orion drone had entered experimental military operation in the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS).
