The Russian defense ministry wants to kick off the acquisition of a reconnaissance and attack medium-range UAV this year. But whether any supplier other than Tupolev will step forward to bid remains to be seen.

Tupolev is one of the nation’s traditional unmanned aerial vehicle designers, and it is already working on a concept—known by its Russian acronym of BAK SD—to meet the requirement.

Alexander Bobryshev, Tupolev’s president, says participating in the bidding process is one of his top priorities. “We are taking our stock [of unmanned technologies] now and plan to develop this direction.”

Other possible competitors include Sukhoi. However, even though the company has been considering medium- and high-altitude long-endurance UAVs, executives say such work has been suspended in this area for the moment. And Irkut Corp., which is offering a range of tactical UAVs, declines to discuss whether it will take part in the contest.

The heaviest model in the Irkut range—the unmanned DA42—was unveiled last August at the MAKS 2009 air show. The design uses the Diamond DA42 twin-engine aircraft as a platform to carry 250 kg. (550 lb.) of payload, including optical sensors, radar and cameras.

In gaining experience with the present generation of tactical UAVs, the Russian defense ministry has already taken the highly unusual step of purchasing from overseas. It acquired about a dozen Israeli-made platforms, including the Bird Eye 400 mini-UAV and 400-kg. Searcher Mk. II tactical reconnaissance drone.

At the time of the purchase, Vladimir Popovkin, the Russian armed forces’ chief of armaments, explained that the Israeli aircraft were being bought to gain experience in the operational use of these classes of systems and to train personnel. “We’re not saying that we are buying them and stopping all domestic developments in this field,” he commented.

As for Tupolev, its long heritage of UAV design and development stretches back to the 1960s. The company developed several models of jet-powered reconnaissance unmanned aircraft for the Soviet armed forces. The last was the 3,500-kg. Tu-300 Korshun drone developed under the Stroy-F program in the 1990s.

Leonid Kulikov, Tupolev’s chief unmanned systems designer, says the Tu-300 could perform strike missions carrying a combat load of almost 1,000 kg. During the factory trials, the Kor­shun engaged land-based targets using free-fall bombs. Nevertheless, at that time, the military decided to suspend development. Two Tu-300 prototypes remain, but the project is unlikely to be restored as the system’s design is now obsolete.

Kulikov says Tupolev’s proposal for BAK SD will not be based on the Tu-300 or other existing UAVs, but will be a completely new system. The work on new aircraft has just begun. “BAK SD will have a range of 500-700 km. [310-435 mi.],” he adds, although he refuses to discuss other parameters because the final design is not yet complete.

He says BAK SD should be a multi-role platform suitable for both reconnaissance and strike missions. The development of the new UAV will take up to five years, while the development cost will be several billion rubles, notes Kulikov.

Gennady Trubnikov, chief designer of unmanned system at Transas in St. Petersburg, says recent UAV efforts by Russian designers have been focused on small UAVs. Existing models have a payload of less than 100 kg. and are unable to carry weapons.

Transas engineers have developed a range of low-speed UAVs, the heaviest of which is the 95-kg. Dozor-100. This UAV was tested during the Russian-Belarus Zapad-2009 military exercises in September 2009.

During these trials, it performed two short flights for detection and identification of ships of the “enemy” over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea. Trubnikov says the Dozor-100 will be tested in March during a 10-hr. flight to prove the UAV’s ability to operate at a 400-km. range

Transas also hopes to fly the 600-kg. Dozor-600 UAV this year. Powered by a pusher propeller, it offers a mission endurance in excess of 24 hr. at a speed of 130-150 kph. Dozor-600’s payload of 120 kg. potentially enables the aircraft to carry weapons, says Trubnikov. However, he was unwilling to comment on whether Transas will bid for BAK SD.