Click to see full-size image. (Telegram)
The Russian military has reportedly begun to field a new anti-drone system armed with a 30 mm gun and guided with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI).
Video footage purported to show the new system engaging four Ukrainian An-196 Liutyi fixed-wing suicide drones surfaced online on May 20. The system managed to shoot down all four drones, scoring direct hits with minimum use of ammunition.
The Liutyi is one of Ukraine’s longest range suicide drones. It is reported to be capable of hitting targets 1,000 to 2,000 kilometers away from its launch point, all while carrying a warhead weighing 50 or 75 kilograms. The drone, developed by Antonov, features a GPS-aided inertial navigation system.
It is unclear when or where exactly the interceptions took place, but Ukraine launched one of its largest drone attacks on Russian territories this year at the start of the week.
Aside from being armed with a 30 mm gun and utilizing AI in its electro-optical targeting system, not much is known about the new system. However, it has been speculated that it is based on the BM-30-D “Spitsa” remote-controlled weapon station made by KBP Instrument Design Bureau, whose main armament is the Shipunov 2A42 30 mm gun.
An anti-drone static version of the Spitsa developed specifically to counter drones was shown to Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia, at the Kapustin Yar test site last year.
Click to see full-size image. (Telegram)
The 2a42 lowest rate of fire is 200–300 rounds per minute and can get as high as 550–800 rounds per minute with a muzzle velocity of 960 meters per second. The cannon’s effective firing range is two kilometers, but can fire at targets up to four kilometers away. The Spitsa can be loaded with up to 300 rounds.
While Spitsa is only equipped with an electro-optical targeting system, it won’t be surprising if the anti-drone version can be also linked to radar systems.
The new system can also in theory fire the 30 mm airburst time-fused ammunition that was first introduced by Rostec earlier this year.
The ammunition was especially designed to take down drones. The fuse is automatically set before firing based on the target’s flight path. No modification to the 2a42 is required.
All in all, the new system provides a cost-effective solution to protect a single object or a limited area, like a ship, building or an airfield, against drones. Together with missile-based air defense systems, new laser-based systems and emerging drone interceptors they could form a more comprehensive air defense network.
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