At the ADEX 2024 International Defence Exhibition in Baku, Kalashnikov Concern presented the SKAT 350M unmanned aerial system (UAS) of Izhevsk Aviation Plant (IAZ LLC), which is the result of a deep upgrade of the Supercam S350 reconnaissance UAV. SKAT 350 M received an improved wing design and increased strength. Kalashnikov specialists significantly improved the aerodynamic properties of the product and redesigned the ground control system.
‘The Concern’s competitive advantages in both the Russian and international markets are ensured by serial production of various types of drones and the synergy between Kalashnikov’s military and civilian developments.’ In addition to established serial deliveries of UAVs, the Concern offers customers a selection of optimal products and target loads for each of the scenarios of use of its drones in specific regions of the world,’ Concern head Alan Lushnikov told journalists in the capital of Azerbaijan.
He emphasised that Kalashnikov guarantees a turnkey service: from collecting the necessary data to its processing, interpretation and storage on its own servers.
SKAT 350 M is mass-produced and is actively used in the special military operation zone to perform tasks of aerial surveillance, reconnaissance and precise targeting of Ukrainian armed formations. According to expert assessments, the UAV is considered one of the best in its class and is actively used along the entire line of contact.
The complex ensures the defeat of multiple rocket launchers, including the Czech RM-70 Vampire, from which the Ukrainian armed forces are shelling residential neighbourhoods and civilian infrastructure in Belgorod. Thanks to the SKAT 350 M, various models of armoured vehicles and vehicles, ammunition and fuel and lubricants depots are destroyed, as well as reconnaissance and target designation for precision-guided strikes against military enterprises behind enemy lines.
At the same time, Kalashnikov notes that the capabilities of UAVs are not limited to military tasks only.
‘In the civilian sector, the unmanned system is used for terrain monitoring, which finds application in the Ministry of Emergency Situations, oil and gas and geological exploration activities, agriculture and construction. Implementation of UAS allows to significantly reduce financial costs and human risks, which makes it in demand in a number of key sectors of the national economy,’ Concern press service said.
SKAT 350 M and other Kalashnikov UAVs are effectively used for aerial photography, monitoring of long and large area objects, engineering and geodetic surveys with the use of lidar systems. Monitoring of Russian Railways infrastructure and network facilities, digitalisation of agricultural lands, creation of digital twins of cities and entire regions are carried out.
SKAT 350 M can stay in the air for up to 4 hours, the range of radio and video channels is 70-100 km, flight speed – up to 120 km/h. The UAV is equipped with high-resolution daytime and thermal imaging cameras, which ensure high-quality monitoring and reconnaissance operations. Deployment time of the complex takes no more than 15 minutes, take-off is performed by launching from an elastic or pneumatic catapult, landing – by parachute in automatic or semi-automatic modes.
An additional advantage is provided by a wide range of operating frequencies and 32 communication channels on the ground receiving and transmitting device, which ensures stable and uninterrupted communication between the drone and the operator even in conditions of electronic countermeasures.
