Russian heavy strike drone S-70 Okhotnik maiden flight video


On  August 7 , Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation released a video of the maiden flight of the Russian heavy strike S-70 Okhotnik UAV.


Russian heavy drone S 70 Okhotnik maiden flight video S-70 Okhotnik (Picture source: Russian MoD )


The Sukhoi Okhotnik or Sukhoi S-70 "Okhotnik", also referred to as Okhotnik-B, is a Russian stealth heavy unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) being developed by Sukhoi as a sixth-generation aircraft project. The drone is based on the earlier Mikoyan Skat, designed by MiG and encompassing some technologies of the fifth-generation Sukhoi Su-57 fighter jet. 

It performed its maiden flight on August 3; the drone flew for about 20 minutes at an altitude of 600 meters, and made several circles around the airfield.

The Okhotnik's design is based on the flying-wing scheme and incorporates the use of composite materials and stealth coatings, making the drone low-observable in flight. It has a mass of about 20 tons and wingspan around 65 feet (20 meters). The drone is powered either by a single AL-31F turbofan, as used on the Sukhoi Su-27 fighter aircraft, or by the improved AL-41F derivative installed on Su-35S fighters and Su-57 prototypes (1 × Saturn AL-31F or AL-41F, 123–147 kN with afterburner). The maximum speed of the drone is reportedly 1,000 km/h. It is likely the Okhotnik was designed to act as a 'loyal wingman' controlled by a parent aircraft, namely the Su-57.

It has 2 internal weapons bays for up to 2,000 kg of guided and unguided ammunition.