Tag Archives: unmanned combat

More Russki unmanned vehicle action…

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Russia’s Kalashnikov Concern this week released a bunch of info on their new gear, including some amped-up video of robotic vehicles getting their smash on.

In the above, they show off their Soratnik (Companion) and Nahlebnik (Parasite) combat unmanned ground vehicles. The first carries a 30mm grenade launcher/machine gun set-up while the latter totes a four-pack of anti-tank rockets. The vehicles are supposed to be capable of speeds of about 25 mph and semi-autonomous operation with weapon functions under the control of a remote operator.

Also seen is a PPDU remote-controlled weapon station which mounts a heavy machine gun that cuts through cinderblock like butter. And be sure to notice the very nice Vitiaz SMGs the guys on foot are toting, among other hardware. All that’s missing is the reveal that the driver is Tsar Vladimir standing shirtless in the snow with a Super Bowl ring.

More images and info in my Guns.com column after the jump.

Kalashnikov CEO wants a 20-ton ‘reconnaissance-strike robot’

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Kalashnikov’s BAS-01G Soratnik unmanned vehicle can carry a machine gun and quartet of antitank missiles, but the company’s CEO wants to supersize it. (Photo: Kalashnikov Concern)

Kalashnikov Concern CEO Alexei Krivoruchko told Russian media that the company is developing a pretty big unmanned combat vehicle.

In an interview with state-run media outlet Tass, Krivoruchko hyped the partially-state run factories progress on advanced weapons including the new RPK-16 light machine gun before moving on to the mechanical elephant in the room– unmanned ground combat vehicles. The CEO advised a new 20-ton platform (described as a “робота” — robot) is under development which, when compared to what Kalash already markets, is huge.

The company showed off their current 7-ton BAS-01G Soratnik (Comrade-in-arms) unmanned vehicle in 2016, then last December made it do tricks for the Russian Ministry of Defence while armed with four anti-tank rockets and a machine gun. Alternatively, it can be modified to carry up to a 30mm gun or eight Kornet-EM laser-guided anti-tank missiles. Soratnik can be positioned as a bastion and act autonomously for 10 days as such in a standby mode, waiting to engage a threat.

I covered it over at Guns.com and am honored that Popular Mechanics picked it up as well.