Russian Tu-300 UCAV

[Wembley]

Anyone got anything on this?

It seems to be very secret still, even after being around at least 18 years. I recently got the Yefin Gordon book on Russian UAVs, and that says virtually nothing.

As far as I can make out it's basically a re-usable cruise missile for attacking high-value targets; the payload seems to be a KGMU-1 submunition dispenser which seems pretty odd for such a task...and don't they have enough cruise missiles anyway?? I might speculate that it was built for spotting and attacking armor formations using guided submunitions, but that is a guess.

 

[borovik]

Tu-300 ( "300"; "Black Kite" = Korshun)
UCAV front Task Complex.
Created based on the experience of designing subsonic tactical UCAV (Tupolev Tu-143, Tu-141).
Repeatedly presented in the exhibition (MAKS; Mosaeroshow)
photo from "Aviation & Cosmonautics" #9/2000

 

[Wembley]

Yes, there are photos from the airshow in the book - but very few details.

Anyone else got any theories about what this thing is for? It's certainly not going to be carrying out low-speed Predator-type strikes on terror suspects.

 

[flateric]

Korshun's main task is electronic & optical intelligence, apart from mission-standart equipment carried in forward fuselage section, additional SIGINT, etc. stuff can be carried in Korshun's tiny equipment bay and inside external pods. One of the last can be substituted with KMGU-1 or KMGU-2 submunition dispenser, but, again, aerial strikes is hardly the main task Tu-200 was intended for.

 

[turboshaft]

From this week's Av Week:

Leonid Kulikov, Tupolev’s chief unmanned systems designer, says the Tu-300 could perform strike missions carrying a combat load of almost 1,000 kg. During the factory trials, the Kor­shun engaged land-based targets using free-fall bombs. Nevertheless, at that time, the military decided to suspend development. Two Tu-300 prototypes remain, but the project is unlikely to be restored as the system’s design is now obsolete.

Leonid Kulikov, Tupolev’s chief unmanned systems designer, says the Tu-300 could perform strike missions carrying a combat load of almost 1,000 kg. During the factory trials, the Kor­shun engaged land-based targets using free-fall bombs. Nevertheless, at that time, the military decided to suspend development. Two Tu-300 prototypes remain, but the project is unlikely to be restored as the system’s design is now obsolete.

 

[Machdiamond]

I took this photo at MAKS 93.
--Luc