MiG revealed a full-scale engineering mock-up of its unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) design August 23, nicknamed Skat (Skate). Work on the low-observable design began over two years ago, and MiG will produce a flight worthy prototype within 24-months.
The MiG program is one of two competing designs that will be presented to the Russian Defense Ministry as a strike UCAV. Sukhoi is also understood to be working on a UCAV.
MiG unveiled the program during the Moscow air show, though only a few journalists were taken off the show site to a MiG facility at the Gromov flight test research institute.
Skat has two internal weapons bays, capable of carrying air-to-surface missiles as large as the Kh-31 (AS-17 Krytpon). Possible roles include the suppression and attack of enemy air defenses.
MiG is working with a number of Russian companies and state institutes -- including the 2nd Central Scientific Research Institute -- on Skat. The institute is known to be closely involved in low-observable research and development...
Read the entire article HERE.
(Starting soon, Defense Tech and Military.com will be featuring frequent articles from our friends at Aviation Week. Stay tuned...more's on the way.)
-- Christian
