At ADEX 2024 the Azerbaijani company DEFTECH presented its reconnaissance and strike unmanned aerial system (UAS) DT type at the static exposition. The system, designed to perform a wide range of missions, includes two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with tandem wings, the DT-001 and DT-101, as well as F-1500 and F-5000E loitering munitions

As explained to EDR On-Line at the company’s stand, the UAV DT-001 takes off and lands like an airplane. Its takeoff mass varies between 75 and 120 kg depending on the mission, maximum payload mass being 40 kg. The airframe has a 3.6 metres wingspan and is 3.6 metres long. 

It is powered by 360 ​​cc internal combustion petrol engine with a starter-generator which activates a two-blade pushing propeller; the DT-001 has a cruising speed of 120-130 km/h, and a cruising altitude between 3,000 and 5,000 metres. The fuel tank ensures a 5–10-hour endurance, depending on the flight profile and payload.

The latter may include optical and infrared cameras, multispectral cameras, a LIDAR, a laser designator-rangefinder coupled with a cooled forward-looking infrared system (FLIR), SIGINT/ELINT pods, jamming pods, or signal relay equipment. It is equipped with a satellite communications system with up to 10 Mbs bandwidth capability, a hopping frequency UHF encrypted data transmission-integration into local mesh network, and GNSS denied area operation capability in-line with robust anti-jamming performance.

Cruising altitude, speed and flight endurance remain the same, and the DT-101 is capable to carry similar mission load, albeit maximum payload should be lower than that of the DT-001.

Two F-1500 loitering munitions with a range of 40 km or one bigger F-5000E loitering munition with a range of 20 km can be installed on the pylons under the fuselage.

Besides being deployed from a UAV in the air-to-surface version, both can also be launched from a reusable ground canister in the surface-to-surface version; no details are provided on the canister launch system, but it is quite probable that a pneumatic system is used at launch before the munition propulsion is activated and aerodynamic surfaces are deployed. The munitions feature a tandem wing, located one at the front of the fuselage hinged under it and one at the back hinged over the body, and two vertical tails that deploy downwards.

The munitions are powered by a brushless electric motor activating a pushing two-blade pushing propeller.

The F-1500 is 1.0 metre long and has a 1.1 metre wingspan and can be used as a ground-based weapon, being launched from a canister system with a 5 kg mass, or from a UAV; its mass at launch is 5 kg. Although not specified, it appears that the warhead mass differs depending on the way the F-1500 is deployed; two 1.5 kg warheads are available, one anti-personnel with proximity fuse and one anti-armour, these probably to be used for land-based operations, while when airborne deployed the munition can carry a 3 kg warhead, also provided in two different types, one anti-armour and one thermobaric. A 10-15 km range is declared for the land version, which increases to 40 km for the air-launched system, endurance being 20 to 40 minutes depending on configuration and environmental conditions.

Its cruising altitude is between 300 and 3,000 metres. The cruising speed is around 120-130 km/h, but the munition can accelerate to a speed of 250 km/h in a dive-mode attack, which allows it to be used to destroy enemy helicopters or UAVs according to company sources.

The nose of the munition is fitted with an optronic system with day and night cameras, as well as a targeting system based on artificial intelligence algorithms.

The F-5000E mass is 16 kg, the launcher mass being 10 kg. The airframe is 2 metres long and has a wingspan of 2.2 metres. The munition can be fitted with a 5 kg warhead, three different types being available, anti-personnel with proximity fuze, armour piercing and thermobaric. The cruising altitude varies between 300 and 3,000 metres depending on the combat mission, the cruising speed being 120-130 km/h and the endurance 20-40 minutes.

An optronic system with day and night cameras, as well as a target designation system with artificial intelligence algorithms, are installed in the nose of the munition.

According to a DEFTECH representative, the UAS is more than 80% ready for serial production, and company tests confirmed the declared characteristics of the system.

Photos by N. Novichkov