Search abandonment: Russia has developed an underwater drone for demining
Russia has created an underwater drone for demining sea areas. It is capable of detecting mines and explosive devices moving at high speed, finding them at a depth of several hundred meters, including under a layer of silt, sources in the defense-industrial complex (DIC) of Russia told Izvestia. Experts note that such devices will be in demand when checking water areas, places where mine laying, ports, external raids, protection of ships, as well as in the protection of gas pipelines and other underwater communications.
Sighted drone
The device was created by one of the leading companies of the defense industry complex. The project involves Rostec State Corporation, which has equipped the drones with "eyes" - special video cameras that allow them to navigate well underwater and serve as a guidance system for destroying mines, a source in the defense-industrial complex (DIC) told Izvestia.
- The equipment allows drones to detect mines and other objects at a depth of several hundred meters, including under a layer of silt. The system can also be used as a guidance device for destroying explosive devices," an interlocutor in the defense industry told Izvestia.
According to him, the search complex is designed to equip mine defense ships.
- The complex includes a self-propelled underwater vehicle - a controlled drone directly used to solve the tasks of search, detection, classification, identification of mines. The apparatus can perform its tasks in sea waves up to three points at a great distance from the carrier ship. It has high speed characteristics, which vary depending on the mode of operation, - said the interlocutor.
Rostec confirmed to Izvestia that such developments are indeed underway. The state corporation also said that the equipment includes several video cameras with a wide viewing angle and high resolution, powerful lights and a control unit. The latest technology is implemented in the software, thanks to which the clarity of the picture does not blur when the speed of the drone increases. This reduces the time of object inspection.
- The telesystem allows the underwater drone operator to see the picture from underwater in real time, control the capture of detected mines and other dangerous objects. At the same time, if it is necessary to destroy a mine on the spot, one of the cameras installed in the bottom of the robot can be used as a guidance device," said the Rostec representative.
Cheaper than a minesweeper
The emergence of drones using the latest technologies is an important step in the fight against sea mines, military expert Dmitry Kornev told Izvestia.
- Nowadays, helicopters with descending devices and special neutralizer ships are usually used to search for explosive devices," he noted. - At the same time, they can explore a limited volume of water area during one trip. Drones can be built much more, as they are much cheaper than a ship.
The obvious use of such drones will be to support landing operations, and they will be indispensable at the enemy's mined coasts," said Vasily Dandykin, a military expert and captain of the first rank.
Dmitry Kornev believes that the need for such complexes is huge - it is necessary to check the water areas of ports, various marine or seaside structures, places where submarines and warships are based, various passages and fairways.
Such drones, judging by their characteristics, are capable of ensuring safe operation of surface ships, as well as submarines at depths where they operate, the expert noted.
- Now submarines operate at depths of several hundred meters," he specified. - As a rule, it is 200-400 meters. Judging by the stated characteristics, the new drone can confidently operate at them.
Protection of underwater communications
Military expert Dmitry Boltenkov told Izvestia that this complex can be used on important underwater communications, in particular, when protecting the Northern and Turkish Streams.
- Now gas to Europe goes only through the Turkish Stream, so it makes sense to deploy these complexes for its protection," he believes. - It cannot be ruled out that in the near future the gas pipeline may be mined by enemy saboteurs.
The Ukrainian side in Ochakovo received a large arsenal of Soviet naval mines, reminded Dmitry Boltenkov.
- The Ukrainian Navy took from there anti-landing mines, which are placed near the shore," he said. - They may sink, they may be blown away, the self-destruct device may fail to activate. For these reasons, the mine may work years later. For example, anti-ship mines installed in the Sea of Azov during the Great Patriotic War exploded in the 1950s. Therefore, sooner or later we will have to survey and demine vast areas of the Black Sea.
After the end of hostilities, the new devices will find work, and not only in the Black Sea.
- In the Baltic Sea there are a lot of dead ships, submarines with weapons, sea mines of the Great Patriotic War and sunken munitions, including chemical ones, - the expert reminded, - When laying underwater communications without surveying the bottom in the Gulf of Finland, which was maximally densely mined by the Germans, can not do without. Even recently our minesweepers found mines of those years when laying the "Northern Streams".
Protection of naval bases
The Russian Navy is taking measures to strengthen the defense of naval bases from air and sea drones.
Earlier "Izvestia" wrote that the deployment point of the Kamchatka brigade of water area protection ships received an anti-robot defense control post (ARP), as well as aerial observation points with a watch service.
In places with convenient for firing sectors around the perimeter of the base were installed twin anti-aircraft guns ZU-23-2. They proved themselves well during the SWO when performing similar tasks.
PRZs, where all information is received, will help to maximize the effective use of forces and means in defending naval bases from enemy strikes.
