Russia to test fly ‘Stealthier’ Okhotnik Strike drone

Russia will begin testing a “stealthier” version of its Okhotnik heavy strike drone in July, RIA Novosti revealed, citing a source.

The second version of the Sukhoi Design Bureau drone was rolled out on 14 December. It will be serially produced after the tests are complete and is expected to be in service by 2024.

Both versions include an AL-41F engine. However, the second version features a retracted afterburner — unlike the prototype’s protruding nozzle — allowing it to “fit into the contours of the fuselage,” reducing “its visibility in the infrared and radar ranges.”

Okhotnik engine developer Motor Design Bureau earlier revealed that the aircraft’s “flat nozzle” would “reduce the drone’s signature for enemy heat-seeking missiles.”