The Mikoyan Skat is an in-development armed Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) with origins in a Russian Defense Ministry reconnaissance-minded Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The product was first unveiled at MAKS 2007 and has since evolved to fulfill a greater, growing need in the Russian Air Force - particularly in keeping pace with developments emerging from the West and China. As it stands, the Skat is to be armed with precision-guided munitions held internally, feature a tailless design and incorporate stealth features for airspace penetration.
The original unarmed Skat was ordered as an armed version in 2013.
The Skat UCAV is to be powered by a single RD-5000B series turbofan engine of approximately 11,200lbs thrust buried in the fuselage's center mass (the engine similar to that as used on the Mikoyan MiG-29 "Fulcrum" fighter series). Avionics, fuel and other flight-critical components will also reside in this section. The vehicle's profile will feature a tailless approach which means no vertical tail surfaces will be used. The planform is reminiscent of the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit stealth bomber of the United States Air Force with its saw-tooth trailing edges and arrowhead-like leading edge. The undercarriage will be appropriately retractable as the aircraft will stand on three wheeled legs (two main and one nose leg). The munitions payload will be housed in two separate bays outboard of centerline. The engine will be aspirated through a split-duct intake opening at the front of the aircraft. All physical features of the aircraft will reside above the wing to promote as flat a downward-facing shape as possible.
Performance specifics currently include a maximum speed of 500 miles per hour with a service ceiling up to 40,000 feet and an overall range out to 2,500 miles.
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Ground Attack (Bombing, Strafing)
Ability to conduct aerial bombing of ground targets by way of (but not limited to) guns, bombs, missiles, rockets, and the like.
✓Unmanned Capability
Aircraft inherently designed (or later developed) with an unmanned capability to cover a variety of over-battlefield roles.
Length
33.6 ft (10.25 m)
Width/Span
37.7 ft (11.50 m)
MTOW
19,996 lb (9,070 kg)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the base Mikoyan Skat production variant)
Installed:
1 x Klimov RD-5000B engine of unknown thrust.
Precision guided munitions held in two internal weapons bays.
Supported Types
(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
Skat - Base Series Designation
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
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Russia (probable)
