Sergei Bibikov - main constructor of UCAV S-70 Okhotnik («Russia 1» TV channel, 21 February 2021)

Izdyelye (product)	Number	Type	First flight	Camouflage
NIR scientific research work "Okhotnik-B" (научно-исследовательскaя работa) for S-70B UCAV	070	mockup	Ready in 2014	2017: overall lightgray (or even white) with darkgray inner outline Well, there's not much to see.	2020: Maybe in darkgray pixel camouflage Defence Minister of the Russian Federation Sergei Kuzhugyetovich Shoygu (Сергей Кужугетович Шойгу) visiting International Military-Technical Forum «ARMY-2020». Please look at background...
S-70B	071	flyable demonstrator S-70	3 August 2019 Novosibirsk, NAZ plant airfield	overall mediumgray, amazing gray and white wraith on top, gray inner outline on bottom
		prototype SK-70	expected in 2022
		prototype S-70-3	expected in 2022
		prototype S-70-4	expected in 2022

A little bit of history

In 2011 Sukhoi Company was selected by Russian Ministry of Defence to lead the project of the heavy UCAV unmanned combat aerial vehicle (БЛА, БПЛА Беспилотный летательный аппарат) - УРБК ударно-разведывательный беспилотный комплекс «Охотник» [URBK strike-reconnaissance unmanned complex „Hunter”]. The fullscale mockup was ready in 2014 - we only know it from a single presentation during Second Conference "Robotization of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation" about current scientific research work for the Armed Forces (Kubinka, March 2017). Probably the same object appeared in August 2020 at Army-2019 forum (with red number 070 and maybe with pixel camouflage on top). The object received aerodynamical form of a flying wing, without a vertical stabilizer. The armament bays are located in the fuselage. It is unknown what engine is installed. The company ОДК Уфимское моторостроительное производственное объединение [ODK - Ufa Engine Building Production Association] has developed a special version of the AL-41F-1 fighter engine «изделие 117БД» [117BD] especially for S-70. It will give the aircraft a speed close to the speed of sound. The engine will be fitted with flat exhaust nozzles. For now (early 2021) only an example - a demonstrator С-70Б «Охотник-Б» [Okhotnik-B, S-70B „Hunter-B”] - has been produced by Sukhoi. The main designer is Сергей Бибиков. According to him in February 2021, the design work took a very short time - just three years. Publicly demonstrator is called Охотник [Hunter]. Meaning of suffix B is unknown. Demonstrator task is to test the stability characteristics, controllability, testing of the automatic control system on take-off and landing modes. The electronics suite КПНО-70Б [KPNO-70B] комплекс пилотажно-навигационного оборудования [flight and navigation equipment complex] were developed by РПКБ «Раменское приборостроительное конструкторское бюро» [RPKB - Ramenskoye Instrumentation Design Bureau, part of KRET - КРЭТ «Концерн Радиоэлектронные технологии»]. Three sets have been prepared: - one for workbench, - second for the T-50-3LL flying laboratory (prototype of T-50 assigned to S-70 programme after end of flying tests) and - third for the demonstrator. Electronic equipment allows UCAV to operate jointly with Su-57, in a group of UCAVs or independently. It can perform tasks fully automatically (takeoff, flight to target, return, landing), but it can also be controlled from the ground by an operator (via NPU-70), as the demonstrator is now in some tasks (among others is test pilot Yevgeniy Frolov - a Hero of the Russian Federation, a man-legend). Of course can be commanded by Su-57 and modernized AWACS A-50U (ДРЛО [DRLO] самолёт дальнего радиолокационного обнаружения и управления) or newest A-100 «Премьер» (МАК РЛДН [MAK RLDN] Многофункциональный авиационный комплекс радиолокационного дозора и наведения). The UCAV will be manufactured not in Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant [KNAZ] like the S-57, but in Novosibirsk at the NAZ Novosibirsk Aviation Plant named after V.P. Chkalov (НАЗ Новосибирский авиационный завод имени В. П. Чкалова), both are parts of Sukhoi Company.

Schedule

In December 2019 Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Sukhoi for three prototypes of S-70B. The total expenditure on the four UCAVs (demonstrator + prototypes) will amount to 4 billion rubles by the end of 2025. Second prototype will be modified on basis of demonstrator trials and third and fourth will be patterns for serial production. 8 October 2020 Sukhoi has placed a tender worth 2.25 billion rubles (almost USD 30 millions or 24 millions EUR) for designing and producing a NPU-70 ground control point (НПУ-70 наземный пункт управления). The control points will be certified by the end of 2025. Developer will take part in the creation of the third S-70-3 and fourth S-70-4 prototypes in 2022. It’s rather obvious that is RPKB who win a tender... 1. March 2020 – November 2021 Изготовление и поставка лабораторного образца НПУ-70(л) для стенда 758-2 ПАО «Компания «Сухой», стенд ГК, макеты, аппаратного комплекса режима «Тренаж», эксплуатационного комплекта ЗИП. Production and delivery of the laboratory copy NPU-70(L) for the stand 758-2 of Company Sukhoi, GK stand, mockups, hardware complex of "Training" mode, operational set of spare parts and accessories. 2. October 2020 – July 2021 Изготовление и поставка ОО НПУ-70-1 для обеспечения отработок С-70. Production and delivery of the testing copy NPU-70-1 to support S-70 testing. 3. October 2020 – January 2022 Изготовление и поставка ОО НПУ-70-2 для обеспечения испытаний СК-70. Production and delivery of the testing copy NPU-70-2 to support SK-70 testing. 4. June 2021 – March 2022 Участие в изготовлении С-70-3. Participation in preparation of S-70-3. 5. January 2022 – October 2022 Участие в изготовлении С-70-4. Participation in preparation of S-70-4. The state trials will take place in the year 2023, 2024 and will end in September 2025. Certification of SK-70, including working control points NPU-70 will be by the end of October 2025. Novosibirsk, 25 January 2024, Sergei Semka, vice-governor of the Novosibirsk region, told at a press conference at the TASS press centre that the serial production of S-70 at the Novosibirsk Aviation Plant named after V.P. Chkalov is planned to start in the second half of 2024.

Basic events

June 2018: first ground tests at the airport in Novosibirsk. November 2018 - Early Spring 2019: run-up and first jump etc. 3 August 2019: the first flight. 27 September 2019: first joint flight with Su-57 (T-50-5). December 2020 – January 2021: tests at the Ashuluk firing range (near Astrakhan) in the fighter-interceptor mode with air-to-air missile imitators and also bombing using unguided bombs.

© 2021 Mariusz Wojciechowski, Słupsk (Poland)