close
close

Insane videos show the moment a Russian S-70 UCAV is shot down by a Russian fighter jet over Ukraine

Clips show what is believed to be a Russian Su-57 shooting down the Wingman S-70 UCAV; Claims revolve around loss of control.

Since October 5, 2024, videos have appeared on the Internet showing a RuAF (Russian Aerospace Forces) fighter jet striking an S-70 Okhotnik loyal wingman UCAV (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle) over the Konstantinovka region of Ukraine shoots down. The clips of the two planes' flyover show two contrails in a row, with another trail of smoke leaving the plane's tail and hitting the plane in front of it, suggesting it fired an AAM (air-to-air missile).

Clips show what is believed to be a Russian Su-57 shooting down the Wingman S-70 UCAV; Claims revolve around loss of control. The S-70 Okhotnik-B

Subsequent images from the crash site confirmed that it was an S-70.

As for the type of fighter aircraft that shot down the S-70, most sources seem to agree that it may have been a Su-57 Felon. This is a translation of the comment from the popular Russian FighterBomber Telegram channel on Telegram, which has close ties to the aircrews and personnel of the Russian Aerospace Forces:

That is, we could have upgraded not only the Okhotnik, but also the Su-57 escort, and that is a completely different scenario.

Claims from Russian and Ukrainian accounts The Su-57 carries long- and short-range AAMs under two internal enclosed weapons bays in the centerline of the underbelly, on outer pylons in the inner harpoints, and another inner bay at the wing root above the engine nacelle. It is unclear what type of rocket was used. At the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from RuMoD (Russian Ministry of Defense).

Telegram channels close to the Kremlin claimed that it was a loss of control that led to the pilot deciding to shoot down the plane. The claims also mentioned that this was not the final production variant of the S-70. None of these claims have been independently verified.

The S-70 Okhotnik-B

The S-70 made its first flight on August 3, 2019 and was reportedly developed by Sukhoi in about three years. According to some sources, its development actually began much earlier, around 2011, when the Russian Defense Ministry first allocated funds to the Sukhoi UCAV program. In addition, the design of the S-70 is based on the 2005 Mikoyan-Gurevich (MiG) prototype, the so-called “Skat”, which was publicly displayed as a model at the MAKS 2007 international air show.

The Okhotnik is Russia's first drone built entirely with hard-to-observe features and special composite materials. This development was a partial response to Russia's long-standing lag in the advanced aviation sector, which has left the country lagging behind the United States and China in the development of fifth-generation aircraft and UAV technology.

The S-70 contains a special composite material developed specifically for this project, which is likely similar to the materials used in the Sukhoi Su-57 “Felon”. Still, the Okhotnik is quite heavy for its class, weighing almost 20 tons – almost twice as much as a MiG-29 or F-16 and four times heavier than comparable drones like the X-47B. Its wingspan is about 20 meters and the length is about 14 meters.

In December 2020, RIA Novosti said Okhotnik conducted simulated tests of infrared (IR) and radar-seeking air-to-air missiles to test the UCAV's fire control systems at the 185th Combat Application and Training Center in Ashuluk.

According to a January 2021 report, the UCAV conducted its first live-fire test by firing unguided bombs at a target at the Ashuluk training range near the Caspian Sea. On May 28, 2022 RIA Novosti reported again on a “series of guided missile launch tests” that Jane's The Kh-59MK2 stand-off cruise missile was completed.

In 2021, reports emerged that the Russian Ministry of Defense planned to integrate the Okhotnik into Su-57 squadrons, with each squadron potentially having a UCAV unit. This integration aimed to establish a Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM/T) system that allows Su-57 pilots to coordinate missions with the UCAV. This move further supports the idea that the S-70 would act as a “loyal wingman” to the Su-57 Felon, improving combat capabilities through manned and unmanned cooperation.

Ukraine has now recovered parts of this unmanned aircraft and they will likely be shipped to the US for thorough analysis. This detailed investigation will improve American understanding of the Russian stealth drone.

You may also like...