The Berkut-3 short-range reconnaissance tactical unmanned aircraft system (BAK-MR Berkut-3) has been put into service of the Belarusian Army

The Berkut-3 short-range reconnaissance tactical unmanned aircraft system (BAK-MR Berkut-3), created at AGAT – Control Systems JSC – Managing Company of Geoinformation Control Systems Holding, has been put into service of the Belarusian Army.

The product is designed to perform airborne optical and electronic reconnaissance in the visible and (or) infrared ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum. The effective range of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) up to 50 kilometres is provided by a proprietary jam-resistant radio system integrated into the system. The designers have provided special measures of radio electronic protection, synthesising a noise-resistant signal. The realised structure of the information and command radio line makes it very difficult for the enemy to conduct electronic reconnaissance of UAV control command transmission channels. At the same time, the determination of range and bearing of the aircraft is provided. The totality of the adopted design solutions provides the possibility of using the system, in the absence of information from GPS.

Berkut-3 can be in the air for up to 3 hours. Take-off is achieved using an elastic catapult, and landing is achieved using a parachute. Landing is provided in several modes, including automatic. The deployment time of the system does not exceed 15 minutes.

The system features automatic transmission of air reconnaissance object coordinates and text information to Centurion command control vehicles via wire and radio channels, which significantly reduces the combat use of artillery units and allows for continuous reconnaissance and fire correction to a depth of up to 50 km. The Centurion vehicles were also modernised by the specialists of AGAT - Control Systems JSC, and special software was added to them, which allows automatic calculation of the calculated settings for firing at targets detected by Berkut-3 UAS. The modifications made it possible to increase the firing efficiency by three times.

The combat use cycle of the created reconnaissance-fire system was successfully tested at one of the ranges of the Armed Forces in the presence of the leadership of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Belarus.

In the interests of the Belarusian Army, work is underway to create a reconnaissance and strike channel. It should combine the Berkut-3 UAS and strike UAVs being developed in Belarus. The use of such a channel will make it possible to increase the efficiency of solving tasks from reconnaissance to target engagement.

The system consists of two unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with electric motors, interchangeable ground control stations for the UAV and the target load, gyrostabilised optoelectronic systems (television and thermal imaging), and an elastic catapult.

The company’s specialists are constantly working on improving the flight characteristics and software of the Berkut-3 UAS in order to increase its range, improve its operational parameters and power supply system.