MOSCOW. Aug 12 (Interfax) - The S-70 Okhotnik heavy unmanned combat aerial vehicle has undergone trials, Vladimir Artyakov, first deputy CEO of Russia's Rostec corporation, said in an interview with the Rossiya-24 (VGTRK) TV channel on Monday.
"We have carried out trials for now. We understand where to move, we understand both its advantages and shortcomings, and we're working on them. I believe we'll complete this program within the timeframe that we have set ourselves and that the Defense Ministry expects from us," Artyakov said.
"This will be a very efficient weapon. We chiefly view it not as an offensive but as a defensive weapon," Artyakov said.
As reported in January 2024, the Okhotnik heavy drone's serial production should begin in the second half of 2024.
Interfax reported previously that Sukhoi, part of Rostec's United Aircraft Corporation, has been working on Russia's first long-endurance heavy combat drone since 2011. The first experimental prototype carried out its maiden flight on August 3, 2019. A second drone equipped with an innovative flat nozzle reducing its radar visibility was rolled out at the Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association Plant in December 2021.
According to open data, the Okhotnik has a takeoff weight of over 20 tonnes, making it the heaviest drone currently under development. It is 19 meters long and has a wingspan of 14 meters; thus, its dimensions are comparable to those of the Sukhoi Su-57 fighter aircraft. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said previously that the Okhotnik's weapon load would be six tonnes, range around 6,000 kilometers, and ceiling 18,000 meters.