The mysterious unmanned combat aerial vehicle ‘Okhotnik-B‘ (Hunter in Russian) made its first flight on Saturday, August 3, according to TASS news agency.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, “the first flight took place at 12:20 pm Moscow time and lasted more than 20 minutes. The aircraft under the control of one operator made several overflights at the aerodrome at an altitude of about 600 meters and a successful landing “.
The unmanned aircraft was designed and built by Sukhoi and is codenamed Su-70. According to the manufacturer, the “Hunter” has a flying wing configuration that uses a special coating capable of absorbing radar waves. It is equipped with sensors for reconnaissance missions.
No technical information has yet been released, but observers believe the Su-70 has a size and characteristics similar to the Northrop Grumman’s on-board drone X-47B.
Some bet Sukhoi intends to supply the Su-70 as an unmanned wing of the Su-57, stealth fighter that has just entered service in the Russian Air Force.
Despite confirming the first flight, the Putin government has not provided any images of the plane or even where the flight took place, although it is believed to be being tested in the Chkalov State Flight Test Center, near Akhtubinsk in the Astrakhan Region.
