Russia’s defense ministry showcased its latest unmanned aerial vehicle for the first time in public on Wednesday. The Okhotnik (Russian for Hunter) was seen taking off, performing tactical maneuvers and landing after the 20 minute demonstration. This wedge-shaped combat drone was developed by the Sukhoi company and is a major leap compared to other unmanned aerial vehicles previously developed in Russia. Read more for a video and additional information.
Russian media claims the new drone weighs in at 20 tons loaded and has a range of up to 3,100 miles. The single-engine Okhotnik may have drawn some inspiration from a Lockheed Martin U.S. RQ-170 Sentinel drone, of which it bears a striking visual resemblance. Lockheet Martin’s RQ-170 was first spotted in Afghanistan during 2007, where it was used to monitor the U.S. military operation that eventually took down Osama Bin Laden four-years-later.