Tupolev Voron
| Company type | Unmanned reconnaissance aircraft project |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 1980s (development period) |
| Founder | Alexei Tupolev (project leader) |
| Headquarters | Moscow , Soviet Union |
| Products | Supersonic unmanned reconnaissance drone (proposed) |
The Tupolev Voron (Russian: Ворон; translated as Raven) was a proposed supersonic unmanned reconnaissance aircraft developed by the Soviet Union’s Tupolev design bureau. This drone was largely inspired by, or intended to rival, the American Lockheed D-21 high-speed reconnaissance drone.
History
During the initial flight of the Lockheed D-21 on 9 November 1969, the drone successfully reached its target and captured imagery of the nuclear test site at Lop Nor in China. However, due to a navigational failure, it failed to return and ultimately crashed within Soviet territory. The Soviets recovered the wreckage and conducted detailed analysis through their aerospace industry. In the 1980s, these findings were reportedly shared with Lockheed engineer Ben Rich.
Following this event, the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union tasked the Tupolev OKB (Experimental Design Bureau) with creating a Soviet version of the D-21 utilizing domestically produced components, including engines and avionics. Development took place at the MMZ Opyt plant near Moscow, which had prior experience with drones such as Jastreb-1, Jastreb-2, Reys, and Strizh. The project was designated Voron and led by Alexei Tupolev, son of Andrei Tupolev.
The Voron was envisioned as a high-altitude reconnaissance vehicle designed to operate alongside other aerial and terrestrial intelligence systems to enhance Soviet strategic surveillance capabilities. It was to be navigated via an autopilot system following pre-programmed waypoints using inertial navigation technology. The reconnaissance payload consisted solely of a high-resolution camera mounted beneath the airframe. Launch operations were planned from a Tupolev Tu-95 strategic bomber, somewhat paralleling the D-21’s deployment from a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, though while a B-52 could carry two D-21 drones under its wings, the Tu-95 would accommodate only one Voron partially housed in an open bomb bay. Additional concepts included launching from a bomber variant of the Tupolev Tu-144, analogous to the Lockheed M-21/D-21 system, as well as from the later-produced Tupolev Tu-160 bomber.
Conflicting reports exist regarding its propulsion: some sources indicate an RD-012 engine producing approximately 1,350 kgf (13.2 kN; 3,000 lbf) thrust, whereas others suggest it employed a 3Ts4 (RD-07K) engine developed by OKB-670 under Michail Bondarjuk. This bureau also reportedly utilized the relatively intact Marquardt RJ43-MA-11 engine from the D-21. After separation from its carrier aircraft, Voron was intended to be propelled to supersonic speeds by a detachable booster delivering around 47,500 kgf (466 kN; 105,000 lbf) thrust. Designed for single-use missions, upon completion of reconnaissance, its data module containing imaging equipment would detach and descend safely via parachute for recovery, similar in concept to the Jastreb-1 drone.
There were also plans for ground launches employing a trailer-mounted booster rocket; however, this approach was abandoned due to its limited operational range compared to air launch methods. Although development continued for several years and contributed valuable knowledge toward supersonic missile technology, the Voron program was ultimately discontinued as Soviet leadership concluded that satellite reconnaissance offered superior effectiveness over unmanned aerial vehicles.
Specifications
See also
- Lockheed D-21
- Lockheed M-21
- Tupolev Tu-141
- Tupolev Tu-143
- Tupolev Tu-144
- Tupolev Tu-160
- Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
References
Further reading
- Gordon, Yefim. US Aircraft in the Soviet Union and Russia. Hinckley: Midland, 2008. p. 245. ISBN 978-1-85780-308-2.
- Gordon, Yefim; Rigmant, Vladimir. OKB Tupolev: A History of the Design Bureau and its Aircraft. London: Midland Publishing, 2005. pp. 325–327. ISBN 1-85780-214-4.