In the design of multiple rocket launchers, Russia's "Alloy" Precision Instrument Design Bureau developed the R-90 reconnaissance cruise missile launched by the 300-mm "Tornado" multiple rocket launcher (with a range of 70 km) in order to shorten the reaction time of the system's firing launcher, which has now been installed.
R-90 cruise ammunition with a mass of 45 kg and a length of 142 meters, 280 mm diameter, wingspan 256 meters. It is propelled by the M44D impulse jet engine developed by ENICS, with a range of up to 70km, a cruising time of 30 minutes, and a flight altitude of 200m to 600m. This ** is stored in a special container before launch, which is no different from a normal rocket. After firing from MLRS, the R-90 is thrown out of the rocket, deploying its wings and tail rudders, and activating the pulsating jet engine. Under the control of the GPS navigation system, it will fly for 30 minutes at an altitude of 200 to 600 metres above the target area, during which it will use television cameras to reconnoiter the battlefield and transmit images in real time to command vehicles 70 km away. In this way, the artillery command can evaluate the damage effect and correct the firing elements. The use of the R-90 reduces ammunition consumption by at least 25% compared to a normal attack. Since it fires like a normal rocket and can quickly pass through enemy forward air defense networks, the R-90 is a formidable ** that is difficult to intercept.
The development of UAVs in Russia started very early, and in the 60s of the last century, the first practical UAV -17 was developed in the USSR. However, due to the immaturity of early electronic technology and the impact of the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russian UAVs have been in the field of artillery reconnaissance for a long time, and have not kept up with the trend of the United States reconnaissance and combat UAVs at the end of the 20th century. In many cases, a ** can change the fate of a country.