Scalpel (kamikaze drone)

2023

The beginning of use as part of a military special operation in Ukraine

Russian troops began to use drones-kamikaze in the zone of a special military operation on. To Ukraine This was reported on November 18, 2023 in the design bureau (KB) East"."

Reviews from pilots are mostly positive - the device is well controlled, very obedient, when diving it is stable, easy to aim. Also, the fighters note the simplicity of the product in preparation for the flight, - the company told TASS.

Scalpel Barraging Drone

Scalpel is a cheaper analogue of the famous Russian kamikaze drone Lancet, which was developed by ZALA, a member of the Kalashnikov concern. The developers do not hide the fact that the new barraging ammunition is inferior in characteristics to the Lancet and costs about 300 thousand rubles, but this is what makes it more affordable.

There are many differences between our product and the Lancet - a camera, a target capture system. In addition, the Lancet radio channel is more resistant to interference, the design bureau explained.

According to the head of the department of political analysis and socio-psychological processes of the Plekhanov PRUE, retired colonel Andrei Koshkin, Scalpel is almost not inferior to the Lancet drone, which is known all over the world. It was important to make its budget analogue for the effective defeat of armored cables, he stressed.

Vostok Design Bureau reported that by November 18, 2023, about 20 copies of the Scalpel were produced per month. If necessary, production can be significantly expanded, the bureau added. KB specialists plan to further improve the platform. It is planned that by the end of January 2024, the device will be equipped with a camera with 10-30 times zoom on the suspension, as well as a system for capturing the target and homing on the captured target by video. In addition, there will be a significant processing of the catapult and equipping the platform with a more advanced ground station. Finally, work will be underway to create a new control channel that is more resistant to interference, the organization added.^[1]

Product Announcement

In September 2023, the design bureau (KB) East"" announced the mass production of the Scalpel multi-purpose unmanned single-use platform. The release of this kamikaze drone will begin in October 2023.

In October, the finished product will be provided for use in the RWT zone. At the moment, we have received applications for the platform from several Russian divisions, - quotes TASS the words of a representative of the developer enterprise.

Drone "Scalpel"

The new UAV will be used as a kamikaze drone. "Scalpel" will be able to accelerate to 120 km/h, its flight range will be 40 km. Payload weight - up to 5 kg.

The internal compartment of the unmanned platform with a diameter of 125 mm and a length of 650 mm allows you to use as a warhead most of the weapons available to the RF Armed Forces, which are currently used from drones. This will enhance Scalpel's capabilities by allowing each unit to select a payload based on the type of target and its capabilities.

The platform will differ in an affordable price. Some components of the foreign-made apparatus, but to a high extent this is a Russian product, were added to the organization that created this drone.

Also in KB "Vostok" they said that the organization closely cooperates with the ANO "Platform of the National Technological Initiative" ("NTI Platform") and the innovative scientific and technological center "Aerospace Innovative Valley" (AKID).

We plan to become residents of these organizations, we are preparing documentation. In terms of import substitution, many existing residents of AKID and NTI Platforms are developing domestic electronics. In the future, this will contribute to reaching a high percentage of localization for our product. Separately, we want to note the active assistance and assistance in solving many issues from the administration of the Ryazan region and the regional branch of DOSAAF, - noted in the design bureau.[2]

Notes