russian propaganda media claims that serial production of the heavy jet-powered drone under the S-70 Okhotnik project is set to begin in the second half of 2024.
Back in April 2023, russia claimed that it would be able to start the serial production of the S-70 Okhotnik (Hunter) no earlier than 2025. But now, as noted by the vice-governor of the Novosibirsk district, Sergey Semek, it could initiate the production of this unmanned attack aircraft six months earlier than initially intended.
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Until this moment, the russian S-70 Okhotnik project could have caused some skepticism due to repeated delays in the planned deadlines for testing and the start of production.
In 2020, russia’s UAC had set a goal to start S-70 production in 2023, which later shifted to 2024, and subsequently to 2025.
During the summer of 2023, another dubious claim emerged when Russia asserted that the S-70 Okhotnik had successfully targeted objectives in Ukraine. Nonetheless, a thorough analysis of the footage does not support this assertion, indicating that it might have been the Iranian Shahed 171 Simorgh instead of the S-70 Okhotnik.
Let's delve into a closer examination of the S-70 Okhotnik. This substantial aircraft features a fuselage length of 14 meters and a wingspan of 19 meters, making it roughly comparable to the MiG-29. It's worth noting that the S-70 has a take-off weight of up to 25 tons, inclusive of a combat load reaching 3 tons.
The specific nature of the combat payload for the S-70 Okhotnik is an open question.
Initial project surveys suggested that this jet-based UAV would feature a wide range of guided air weapons, from anti-aircraft missiles to tactical aviation cruise missiles. However, by late 2020, russia communicated plans to equip the S-70 Okhotnik with unguided aerial bombs.
Given this, it's plausible that russia may intend to modify the S-70 to launch hovering bombs equipped with UMPK modules; however, the pace at which russia can produce the Okhotnik remains uncertain.
Publicly available data only indicates that by 2025, the russians planned to manufacture three experimental prototypes of the S-70 and three control stations for them.
Read more: Challenges and Setbacks: the S-70 Okhotnik UAV Production Will Begin in 2 Years
