Western drones, including RQ-4B Global Hawk and aircraft, conducting aerial reconnaissance have become increasingly common near Russia's borders. Domestic electronic warfare aircraft could solve this problem. However, the Russian Aerospace Forces have only three Il-22PP jammers in service. This was pointed out by military expert Roman Skomorokhov.
A jammer, as a result of which the drone either loses contact with the control centers, or its brains "sour" - is an intangible thing, unlike a missile.
According to him, the generated interference directed at the enemy's aircraft does not pose a threat to civilian aircraft. Such interference can "blow the mind" of the radar altimeter of the enemy's aircraft, Skomorokhov suggested.
He recalled that in 2016, the media wrote about three new Il-22PP electronic warfare aircraft. However, they can only be called new conditionally - they were converted Il-18s, which were mass-produced from 1957 to 1985.
But the Il-22PP is not suitable for fighting drones like the Reaper or Global Hawk. KRET produces decent electronic warfare systems, but putting them in a 50-year-old aircraft capable of flying at a cruising speed of 500 km/h and with a maximum ceiling of 8,000 meters is strange.
The expert explained that at a maximum speed of 637 km/h, the RQ-4B Global Hawk drone will complete its task and escape the Il-22PP's pursuit. Given this, the Russian Aerospace Forces needed modern electronic warfare aircraft "yesterday": fast, high-altitude aircraft that will catch up with the target and knock it out.
It is a pity, but once again our military-industrial complex will have to be in the role of catching up.
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