Vietnam has Decided to Make Drones with Russian Technology

15 Maret 2012

Irkut-10 unmanned aerial vehicle (all photos : twower.livejournal)

"Irkut Engineering", a subsidiary of the corporation "Irkut", will develop small UAV system with Vietnam Aerospace Association (VASA), and will provide technical support in the organization of their future production in Vietnam. Now the country has no manufacturing technology drones.

“The corresponding agreement on scientific-technical cooperation was signed between the parties on Wednesday”, said CEO "Irkut Engineering" Yuri Malov to "Izvestia"

Now VASA acquire UAVs for civilian use, said Malov, that the technology can later be used in solving defense problems.


“We act as the technological and business partner, who must, under an agreement to teach the Vietnamese side to support and exploit the already existing unmanned aerial systems” explained Malov. “Having experience, they can organize their own production.”

The cost of developing a system of unmanned complex will be $ 10 million. It includes aircraft, the antenna position data, as well as ground system startup and management. The device weighs about 100 kg will be carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Government of Vietnam. It must be equipped with catapult launch and parachute landing system. The autonomous flight - more than 16 hours.

Until now, "Irkut Engineering" has specialized in creating lightweight unmanned aircraft systems. For example, Irkut-10, delivered to meet the needs of the Ministry of Defense of Belarus, weighs only 8.5 kg - it can stay aloft for up to two hours.


Characteristics of UAVs ordered by the Vietnamese in general look convincing, especially for lung machine. Although the key performance characteristics are inferior to most military UAVs. For example, commonly used by the U.S. Army in Iraq and Afghanistan UAV MQ-1 Predator flies from 20 to 40 hours and heavier model MQ-1C Grey Eagle - up to 30 hours.

The agreement will allow Vietnam to move rapidly at the local or regional market. The "Irkut Engineering" is designed and finished versions of unmanned systems that can have as soon as possible to offer a new partner, confirms Yuri Malov. If the Russian design like it, it will be deployed in mass production of these vehicles on the territory of Vietnam.

Izvestia on Wednesday failed to receive comments from representatives of the VASA.

Respondents 'Izvestia' experts were aware of the interest in Vietnam to unmanned aerial vehicles. Moreover, negotiations on this subject were conducted with several Russian companies, said Dennis Fedutin, editor in chief of Internet portal uav.ru, dedicated to drones.

“The Vietnamese market has great potential and is a serious concern for Russian business” an analyst at the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, Konstantin Makiyenko. “He is in the list of priority markets in partnership on military-technical sector.”

Drones that do not require home airfield, interesting Vietnam, in whose territory dominated by mountains and forests. They can be launched from almost anywhere and land anywhere. These devices can be broadly applied in this country to control and monitor different objects from the air, including to protect against theft of oil resources. At the same time unmanned vehicles are much cheaper to use for different purposes than conventional aircraft.

In general in the civil sector drones used by emergency services and law enforcement to monitor the situation in the country. The military sector uses such devices to protect the country's borders and the implementation of intelligence activities from the air.

Russia as well as Vietnam, acquire advanced designs and technologies of unmanned vehicles abroad. In October 2010, "Oboronprom" signed an agreement with Israel Aerospace Industries of the organization in Kazan assembling Israelis drone technology. The contract cost Russia $ 400 million plus the refusal of Iran to supply anti-aircraft missile systems S-300.

(Izvestia)