During the global Defence manufacture Salon in Kielce, the Military Institute of Defence presented respective models of kamikaze-type drones. Based on the Ukrainian plan concept, but integrated with the Polish warheads of the device have already been tested under combat conditions in Ukraine. Now the first copies were tested in the Polish Army.
The VPL drone household was created thanks to the combination of Ukrainian plan concept and Polish solutions in the field of warheads. “The Ukrainians are liable for the plan of the framework, while we are active in the armament and integration of the head”, explains Natalia Nienałtowska, an engineer of platforms and unmanned systems from Military Institute of Defence. The partner of the institute is the Polish company Vimana, who acts as an intermediary between WITU and Ukrainian side. Drones have already been tested in combat activities in Ukraine and, as the WITU representatives emphasize, have been very positive.
Good training is essential
On Kielecki Fair 3 versions were presented Unmanned: VPL-7, VPL-10 and VPL-15. The numbers in the names correspond to the size of the drone frame in inches. Each model is an unmanned kamikaze-type weapon strategy – the operator leads the device towards the selected target, where the head is detonated. Drones can be equipped with 3 types of charges: cumulative, thermobaric and shrapnel-storming. This neutralises different types of targets: from armored vehicles, to light means of transport, to infantry groups. The 15-inch version additionally has the anticipation to fly with fibre optic, which eliminates the request for radio communication. Thanks to this, the drone is virtually undetectable, it is besides very hard to disrupt its operation. Unfortunately, this cannot be utilized in smaller models due to limited starting mass – only the head can be mounted there.
– Against the background of akin planet solutions, our drones are part of an expanding trend in the usage of FPV systems. The request is due to the fact that they are much cheaper and faster in production and at the same time let to neutralise targets that are more costly than the device itself. Thanks to this, their combat efficiency is very advanced – says Natalia Nienałtowska. Unmanned has no autonomous mode, it is essential to control them by the operator. Due to deficiency of stability, they require a advanced level of skills – soldiers who usage them must undergo training in advance.
In the hands of Polish soldiers
As of September, the first parties of VPL-7 and VPL-10 go to 8 units of the Polish Army. The equipment was purchased with the support of the Ministry of Defence. Currently, soldiers are undergoing training, and then for 2 months they will test drones in polygonal conditions. The 7- and 10-inch versions of the two-piece sets were submitted for testing. A full of respective twelve drones were deployed. Soldiers will besides test another WITU product – a tiny flea reconnaissance drone.
Once the trials have been completed, a study will be drawn up to measure the effectiveness and direction of further improvement of the project.
