Victory Day 2018: Russia to show off Uran-9 'robot tank' in Red Square parade
|
Version 0 of 1. Russia will unveil its new remote-controlled tank alongside other weapons at its Victory Day parade in Moscow. The Uran-9, which Russia claims to have tested during the civil war in Syria, is armed with a cannon, anti-tank rockets and a machine gun. It can also carry several surface-to-air missiles, equipping it to deal with the threat from helicopters and other aircraft. Yuri Borisov, the Kremlin’s deputy defence minister, told Gazeta.ru the Uran-9 is “intended for remote reconnaissance and fire support”. An operator can control the tank from nearly two miles away, according to the news site. While the armoured vehicle can locate its own targets, the decision to fire is taken by the tank commander, who would be deployed in an armoured truck. The unveiling is part of Victory Day, which commemorates the defeat of Nazi Germany the end of the Second World War in 1945. Russia will also display its Uran-6 remote-operated mine-sweeper, which has been used to clear mines in the Syrian cities of Palmyra, Aleppo and Deir Ezzor. It can be controlled from a distance of just over half a mile and was used to blow up mines at a safe distance from Syrian regime forces, allowing them to move into rebel-held areas, Mr Borisov said. The parade will also show off Russia’s all-weather Korsar drone and its helicopter-style Katran drone. The Korsar can conduct aerial reconnaissance, missile strikes and deliver supplies. It can fly for up to 10 hours, with a maximum height of 20,000ft and a range of more than 100 miles. Russia will also put other new hardware on show, such as the Sukhoi Su-57 stealth fighter and the MiG-31, which will be equipped with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles. In 2015, Russia hosted its biggest-ever military parade to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the conclusion of the Second World War, which saw around 16,000 soldiers, 200 armoured vehicles and 150 aircraft take part. Last year, Moscow showcased more than 10,000 troops, along with tanks and intercontinental missiles, though thick cloud cover scuppered a planned flyover by military aircraft. Other mishaps have seen the high-tech Armata tank break down during a parade rehearsal. The T-14 tank was touted as one of the most impressive pieces of military hardware ever produced by the country at the time, but it unexpectedly stopped in front of Lenin’s mausoleum in 2015. |