The new tactical radar station MSL 20045 has begun to be used as part of an anti-drone air defense system, and its crews are already operating in units of the Russian army. This was reported by foreign sources monitoring the development of electronic reconnaissance and counter-UAV systems.
The station operates in the 5.0–5.9 GHz range. This spectrum partially overlaps with the upper operating frequencies of American AN/MPQ-65A radar complexes, which are used as part of Patriot PAC-2 and PAC-3 systems.
MSL 20045 received a compact antenna array measuring 65×35 centimeters. It is placed under a radome and mounted on a tripod, allowing for quick deployment of equipment to a position.
According to published characteristics, the station is capable of detecting aircraft-type drones at a distance of up to 15 kilometers. FPV drones are detected at a distance of up to 8 kilometers with a 45-degree field of view.
One operator can simultaneously control up to eight MSL 20045 antenna posts and transmit data to a single anti-drone defense circuit. Target designation from the station can be sent to the crews of "Yolka", "Molot", and "Molniya-2P" interceptor drones. In the future, the system is planned to be integrated with automated machine gun complexes "Zubr".
Earlier, "Perviy Tekhnicheskiy" reported that the Russian military for the first time showed a complex of four "Yolka" interceptor drones, which are mounted on a rotating base and provide target acquisition in a full 360-degree circle.