He Russian army has announced that it has successfully tested its new antidrone systemRapira-2in some live fire exercises carried out at the training ground Kapustin Yar100 km from Volgograd. The Rapira-2 is a C-UASacronym for Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems or Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems, low cost which seeks to improve the air defense capabilities of Russia against drones, one of the main threats facing soldiers and civilians in the Ukrainian war.
The Rapira-2 is mounted on the multipurpose armored vehicle AMN-590951 Spartaka platform developed in 2021 for the Streit Group and already used by the Russian armed forces. The mobility offered by this vehicle allows rapid deployment of the Rapira-2 system in various environmentsgranting operational flexibility to Russian forces.
Equipped with a sophisticated radar and electro-optical complex, Rapira-2 is capable of detect, track and neutralize small aerial targets such as kamikaze drones and FPV UAVs.
The system also integrates capabilities electronic warfare. Rapira-2’s radar and electro-optical sensors provide accurate data on air and ground threats, facilitating rapid identification and decision-making. Once the target is identified, the system You can choose to interrupt the drone’s communications or proceed to its immediate destruction.
(Forum-Army 2024) Systèmes multifonctionnels pour détecter et détruire de petites cibles telles que les drones, les Rapira-2 (avec mitrailleuses PKT) et Rapira-3 (avec NAR S-8).
(c) infantry pic.twitter.com/8fNZE8x2gy— La souris (@La_souris_DA) August 11, 2024
Last August, at the defense and security exhibition Army 2024 held in Moscow, the Rapira-3. Rapira-2 is equipped with 7.62 mm PKT machine gunswhile the Rapira-3 is armed with 10 unguided 80mm S-8 aerial rockets to attack unmanned aerial vehicles. Both systems are mounted on 4×4 platforms, ensuring high mobility and rapid deployment capacity.
The Rapira family of systems stands out for its low-cost approach, with economical means of combat. For this reason, the Rapira-2 is armed with 7.62 mm PKT machine guns, which are an affordable and easily replenished solution to neutralize small aerial threats.
The Rapira-3 involves the S-8 rocket modificationdesigned to be launched from the air, for ground-to-air use. The S-8, developed by the Soviet Air Force in the 1970s, has several subtypes with different warheadsincluding high-explosive, smoke, and fuel-air fragmentation variants.
The Rapira-2 and Rapira-3 systems are positioned as affordable C-UAS compared to solutions developed by other countries. For example, the system C-UAS VAMPIRE of the United States uses rockets Hydra 70 laser guided, making them more expensive due to the guidance technology.
According to Russian defense sources reported by Defense Blog, the Rapira-2 system will soon will be integrated into the broader military infrastructure, bolstering Russia’s air defense capabilities.