Company:ZALA Aero Group
 | |
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Izhevsk |
Key people | Aleksandr Zakharov |
| Products | Unmanned aerial vehicles, Jammers |
| Parent | Kalashnikov Concern |
| Website | zala-aero.com |
ZALA Aero Group (also called A-Level Aerosystems) is a Russian company specialising in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) development, located in Izhevsk, Russia . ZALA Aero has provided UAV systems for several sectors of the Russian government, including the Ministry of Defence, and has also won contracts to supply UAVs to foreign countries.[1][2][3] The company's in-house design and production projects include a variety of systems related to UAV design, manufacture and operation, including autopilots, airframes, mechanical and pneumatic catapults, launchers, payloads and communication technologies.[4] ZALA Aero is the only Russian company producing unmanned helicopters,[citation needed] portable anti-drone EW systems[5] and a VTOL drone.[6][7]
Company
The company is a subsidiary of Kalashnikov Concern.[8]
Products
The ZALA 421-06 is an unmanned helicopter.
The ZALA 421-08 and ZALA 421-12 UAV are conventional UAVs.
The ZALA 421-16E5G is an unmanned aircraft outfitted with a hybrid powerplant combining an electric motor and an internal combustion engine. This UAV model is used by the Russian military in Ukraine. One of them was shot down by the Ukrainian military on April 25th, 2023 and recovered two days later in a minefield.[9]
The ZALA 421-24 is Russia's first quadcopter, which the company claims is invulnerable to electronic warfare systems.[10][11]
The Kub-BLA is a military UAV that can loiter over a combat area for an extended period and allegedly identifies targets using artificial intelligence. It has a 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) wingspan. It is fired from a portable launcher. Its top speed is 130 km/h (81 mph), which it can maintain for 30 minutes. It crashes into its target and detonates a 3 kg (6.6 lb) explosive.[8] The loitering munition system KUB-BLA has successfully passed state tests and is recommended for adoption by the Russian army at the end of 2021.[12]
The ZALA Lancet is a further development of the KUB-BLA. It has two versions: the bigger Lancet-3 and the smaller Lancet-1.
It was reported in September 2023 that ZALA AERO has developed a loitering munition, named Italmas, with roughly 150–200 kilometres (93–124 mi) range allowing deeper penetration into enemy areas than the Lancet.[13][14] In October 2023, Pravda.ru reported the first combat use of Italmas.[15]
History
ZALA Aero was founded in 2003 by Aleksandr Zakharov, Its first production UAV went to the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs in 2006. In addition to providing aircraft for defense and military purposes, the company markets its products to the energy sector, and has contracted with Gazprom to provide UAVs to monitor over 2,000 km of the company's pipeline network. ZALA Aero has worked with Gazprom's Space Systems division to use UAVs to transmit real-time video over satellite channels.[16]
In 2008, the ZALA 421-06 and the ZALA 421-08 completed test-flying and entered operational service. The aircraft were trialled aboard an icebreaker, participating in reconnaissance to assist the ship's work.[16] As of 2021, ZALA 421-08 is used by scientists in the Antarctic.[17] In 2009, ZALA Aero reached an agreement with Turkmenistan's Ministry of Internal Affairs to supply the country with the ZALA 421-12 UAV system.[1]
As of 2019 Russia operated over one thousand ZALA drones.[18] In 2019, ZALA Aero developed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-borne detection system that employs artificial intelligence (AI) technology to recognise objects.[19]
In 2021, ZALA Aero launched into serial production the ZALA 421-16E5G and developed the ZALA 421-24.[10][11]
In November 2021, ZALA Aero Group signed a contract with Panamian UAV Latam for a supply of seven UAV systems in 2022–23 on eight local markets of UAV Latam. The company will help with the construction of a UAV training center as well as the preparation of local operations and other technical specialists.[20]
The KUB-BLA UAV was demonstrated in 2019. In March 2022, it was reportedly deployed in the Russo-Ukrainian War.[8][21]
See also
- Aircraft industry of Russia
- Defence industry of Russia
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Zala Aero To Deliver UAVs To Ministry of Internal Affairs of Turkmenistan". Shephard. 2010-02-06. http://www.shephard.co.uk/news/uvonline/zala-aero-to-deliver-uavs-to-ministry-of-internal-affairs-of-turkmenistan/1682/.
- ↑ "Russia's ZALA latest drones already in use over Latin America, says UAV Latam spokesman". TASS. 2021-10-30. https://tass.com/defense/1355909.
- ↑ "Error: no
|title=specified when using {{Cite web}}". Centre for Analysis of World Arms Trade (TsAMTO). https://armstrade.org/includes/periodics/news/2022/0830/095069255/detail.shtml. - ↑ "Error: no
|title=specified when using {{Cite web}}". https://zala-aero.com/production/. - ↑ "Error: no
|title=specified when using {{Cite web}}". https://zala-aero.com/production/means-of-ew/. - ↑ "Zala Aero developed a new multipurpose VTOL UAV". https://www.airrecognition.com/index.php/news/defense-aviation-news/2020/may/6259-zala-aero-developed-a-new-multipurpose-vtol-uav.html.
- ↑ "Cutting-edge Russian drone unveiled at MAKS 2021 air show". 2021-07-21. https://tass.com/defense/1316301.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Knight, Will (2022-03-18). "Russia's Killer Drone in Ukraine Raises Fears About AI in Warfare" (in en-US). Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. https://www.wired.com/story/ai-drones-russia-ukraine/.
- ↑ "Ukraine's National Guard downs Russian 'invisible' drone". 2023-04-28. https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/04/28/7399918/.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Russia develops world's first light drone with hybrid engine". TASS. 2021-04-15. https://tass.com/defense/1278443.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Tech firm unveils Russia's first quadcopter invulnerable to electronic warfare systems". TASS. 2021-04-15. https://tass.com/defense/1278503.
- ↑ "Error: no
|title=specified when using {{Cite web}}" (in ru). Centre for Analysis of World Arms Trade (TsAMTO). 30 August 2022. https://armstrade.org/includes/periodics/news/2022/0830/094069254/detail.shtml. - ↑ Syngaivska, Sofiia (22 September 2023). "Russia Has Unveiled a New Kamikaze Drone with a 200 km Range, which Is More Dangerous than the Lancet UAV". Kyiv. https://en.defence-ua.com/weapon_and_tech/russia_has_unveiled_a_new_kamikaze_drone_with_a_200_km_range_which_is_more_dangerous_than_the_lancet_uav-8019.html.
- ↑ Malyasov, Dylan (21 September 2023). "Russia develops new long-range kamikaze drone". https://defence-blog.com/russia-develops-new-long-range-kamikaze-drone/.
- ↑ "Russia uses new Italmas UAVs in Ukraine". 24 October 2023. https://english.pravda.ru/news/hotspots/158000-italmas_uav/.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Error: no
|title=specified when using {{Cite web}}" (in ru). https://zala-aero.com/. - ↑ "Russia's ZALA latest drones tested in extreme Antarctic conditions". TASS. 2021-04-15. https://tass.com/defense/1278623.
- ↑ "Kalashnikov creates new anti-drone gun". 2019-07-09. http://airrecognition.com/index.php/archive-world-worldwide-news-air-force-aviation-aerospace-air-military-defence-industry/global-defense-security-news/2019-news-aerospace-industry-air-force/july/5235-kalashnikov-creates-new-anti-drone-gun.html.
- ↑ "MAKS 2019: Zala Aero develops world's first artificial intelligence identification system". 2019-08-28. https://airrecognition.com/index.php/archive-world-worldwide-news-air-force-aviation-aerospace-air-military-defence-industry/defense-security-exhibitions-news/air-show-2019/maks-2019-news-coverage-report/5383-maks-2019-zala-aero-develops-world-s-first-artificial-intelligence-identification-system.html.
- ↑ "Error: no
|title=specified when using {{Cite web}}" (in ru). ТАСС. 2021-11-15. https://tass.ru/mezhdunarodnaya-panorama/12921391. - ↑ "Kasad Battalion of DPR Uses Zala Kub Drone to Destroy Afu Squad in Ugledar". 2022-11-24. https://www.bitchute.com/video/HEmstpLRMOSs.
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