Despite being equipped with two R-73 air-to-air missiles, the Ukrainian USV was still destroyed by a Russian helicopter.
Friday, May 10, 2024 15:19 PM (GMT+7)
Ukraine mounted two R-73 air-to-air missiles on the suicide boat, but this did not help it escape the pursuit of Russian helicopters.
In recent times, Ukraine has deployed suicide boats (USVs) to attack warships of the Black Sea Fleet. Therefore, Russia has sought to deal with these boats from the air. According to AFP, Reuters, Forbes.
Russia mobilized fighter-bombers and helicopters to patrol the Black Sea, searching for suicide boats to fire at and destroy them. According to AFP, Reuters, Forbes.
To counter Russian weapons, Ukraine installed anti-aircraft missiles on suicide boats to be ready to shoot down Russian planes. According to AFP, Reuters, Forbes.
Video from the scene shows a Kamov Ka-29 helicopter circling the Ukrainian suicide boat Sea Baby before firing at its target. According to AFP, Reuters, Forbes.
It is clear that Ukraine has attached two more missiles to the USV. According to AFP, Reuters, Forbes.
This is the R-73 infrared-guided missile. According to AFP, Reuters, Forbes.
The R-73's seeker is very sensitive to heat sources such as aircraft engines, but Ukraine needs certain techniques to be able to launch the R-73 from a distance. According to AFP, Reuters, Forbes.
The R-73 is a standard short-range air-to-air missile developed by the Soviet Vympel design bureau, which entered service in 1984. According to AFP, Reuters, Forbes.
The R-73 is in the arsenal of the MiG-23MLD, MiG-29, MiG-31 and Su-27, Su-30, Su-35 fighters as well as the Mi-24, Mi-28, Ka-50, Ka-52 helicopters... The R-73 missile can also be used on aircraft that do not have complex aiming systems. According to AFP, Reuters, Forbes.
Currently, the R-73 is still the most modern short-range air-to-air missile of the former Soviet Union member states, as well as some other countries. In addition to its great flexibility, the R-73 can also be connected directly to the pilot's helmet, allowing it to attack targets on the side of the aircraft, which is not possible with missiles with conventional aiming and navigation methods. According to AFP, Reuters, Forbes.
At the time of its birth, the MiG-29 fighter with R-73 missiles controlled through the pilot's helmet demonstrated superior close-range air combat capabilities compared to Western aircraft. According to AFP, Reuters, Forbes.
The older R-73A version has a range of 30 km while the latest R-73M version can destroy targets at a distance of up to 40 km. According to AFP, Reuters, Forbes.
On the surface, the R-73 appears to be just a scaled-up version of the R-60 to accommodate a more effective seeker, larger warhead and more powerful engine. According to AFP, Reuters, Forbes.
The design of the R-73 missile has aerodynamic fins at the front, the missile body includes components such as a heat signal seeker, aerodynamic surface steering system, flight control equipment, fuse, and lethal warhead. According to AFP, Reuters, Forbes.
Rocket engine, aerodynamic control system and ailerons. The combination of aerodynamic elements gives the R-73 fast maneuverability and extreme agility. According to AFP, Reuters, Forbes.
The passive heat seeker helps lock on to the target before launching the missile, and the navigation to the predicted location is programmed by a special algorithm, a true fire-and-forget weapon as the missile will chase the target without any pilot intervention. According to AFP, Reuters, Forbes.
The missile's combat components include a radar- or laser-activated active fuse and a contact fuse, followed by an 8 kg warhead. The maximum range of the R-73 is around 30-40 km in the latest version, while the minimum range is 300 m, making it extremely useful in dogfights. According to AFP, Reuters, Forbes.
Currently, besides new aircraft models such as Su-27, Su-30, Su-34 or Su-35, upgraded old aircraft can also use R-73 missiles such as MiG-21, MiG-23, Su-25. According to AFP, Reuters, Forbes.
In many cases, the R-73 missile is also mounted next to the R-60 on the wings of fighter aircraft. According to AFP, Reuters, Forbes.
It can be said that engineers from the Vympel design bureau have created a versatile air-to-air weapon that can be easily installed and used on many types of aircraft, helping them to effectively fight against enemy fighters. The use of new technology with powerful engines, sophisticated navigation systems and flexible maneuverability helps the R-73 have the smallest possible size while still ensuring terrifying effectiveness. According to AFP, Reuters, Forbes.
The R-73 missile is currently equipped on fighter jets for use in close-range air combat alongside other modern radar-guided missiles. According to AFP, Reuters, Forbes.
PV (According to ANTĐ)
Source: https://danviet.vn/du-gan-hai-ten-lua-doi-khong-r-73-usv-ukraine-van-bi-truc-thang-nga-tieu-diet-20240510151631976.htm
![[Photo] President Luong Cuong and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka visit President Ho Chi Minh relic site](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2025/5/5/0ff75a6ffec545cf8f9538e2c1f7f87a)
![[Photo] Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh holds talks with Prime Minister Mikhail Vladimirovich Mishustin](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/402x226/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2025/1/19/54ce88000228495a90768cc0b03c9cc0)
Comment (0)