Penicillin (artillery reconnaissance complex)

2024: Adoption by the Russian army

In mid-February 2024, it became known that the Russian army had adopted the Penicillin artillery reconnaissance complex, developed at the Vector Research Institute of the Roselectronics holding (part of the Rostec state corporation). The peculiarity of this system is that it does not unmask itself with radiation and at the same time provides high accuracy in obtaining data.

Unlike most such foreign counter-battery warfare systems, Penicillin detects enemy artillery not using radar, but thanks to the new principle of combining sound and thermal reconnaissance. The platform includes several sound receivers installed on the ground surface, as well as an optical-electronic module. These units record acoustic signals from shots (breaks) and record thermal radiation. After processing the received information, the system outputs information about the place where the ammunition burst, the accuracy of the hit, and also reports the location of the guns.

source = Roselectronics

According to TASS, the Penicillin complexes successfully operate in the South Donets and Zaporizhzhya directions as part of the counter-battery struggle, where they detect and help destroy enemy guns. The system can be used to search for firing positions of artillery pieces, mortars, multiple launch rocket systems and launch positions of anti-aircraft and tactical missiles with simultaneous adjustment of firing of their artillery.

It is noted that the Penicillin complex takes no more than five seconds to obtain the coordinates of a single target. Thus, almost immediately after the enemy starts fire, his position can be identified with high accuracy. This allows the Russian artillery to return fire as quickly as possible.^[1]

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