Page 30 - World Airnews Magazine March 2021

DRONES NEWS

A DRONE-HUNTING UAV UNITED NIGERIA

By Ilya Tsukanov TAKES TO THE SKIES

By David Casey

from the West Coast. We have a big plan.” The launch of United Nigeria comes as
Okonkwo added that the airline hopes to another Nigerian startup, Green Africa

ust weeks after securing an air opera- expand its network within three months. Airways, prepares to take to the skies. The
Jtor’s certi fi cate (AOC), United Nigeria According to data provided by OAG LCC is currently working towards securing

has begun commercial operations. Schedules Analyser, there were 96,883 seats its AOC and hopes to begin commercial

The carrier, which is based at Enugu available in Nigeria’s domestic market the flights in the coming months.
Akanu Ibiam International (ENU) and has week beginning February 15, compared with Green Africa Airways has 50 Airbus

a fleet of four Embraer ERJ145 aircraft, 175,000 during the same week a year ago. A220-300s on order and plans to operate

operated its first flights on Feb. 12, with the LOS-ABV is the busiest route in the domestic flights within Nigeria and then

inaugural service connecting Lagos (LOS) country, currently accounting for about build a pan-African network.

with ENU. 31% of all weekly capacity. OAG’s data Earlier in 2021, domestic airline domestic

Booking is now available for a domestic shows that United Nigeria will compete carrier Azman Air also unveiled plans for

network comprising five routes. As well with seven other carriers on the sector, an ambitious growth strategy in 2021. The

as flying daily between LOS and ENU, the which collectively offer almost 30,000 airline intends to add another A340-600,

airline will operate LOS-Abuja (ABV), LOS- weekly seats. three 737-800s and five regional aircraft to

Asaba (ABB), ABV-ABB and ABV-ENU. Dana Air is the largest operator, flying its fleet. Q
Owerri (QOW), Port Harcourt (PHC) and 5X-daily and providing 10,000 two-way
Warri (QRW) have been identified seats. Arik Air is the second largest with

as destinations likely to be served in 34X-weekly flights and 8,400 seats. About David Casey

the future. Among the five other operators of flights David Casey is Senior Network

United Nigeria chairman Obiora Okonkwo between Lagos and Nigeria’s capital Abuja Planning Editor for Routesonline, the

said, “You can see we have a base in Enugu, is Qatar Airways, which launched flights global route development communi-
and we have to consolidate, establish all to ABV in November 2020. The 3X-weekly ty's trusted source for airline route
our routes and then work on expansion. We route from Doha (DOH) via LOS uses Boeing announcements.

want to expand beyond Nigeria, starting 787 aircraft.

HELICOPTERS
© Sputnik / Maxim Blinov

state testing this year,” the official said. the 2000s and early 2010s as the Russian
The Volk-18 is on display at the National military did without. During the Cold War,

ussia has been a relatively late Aviation Infrastructure Forum & Show, Soviet engineers developed a series of RACER OFF TO A SLOW START

Rentry in the fi eld of modern a major exhibition in Moscow running unmanned tactical reconnaissance aircraft,

unmanned aerial vehicles for military use. February 9-10. Before that, an earlier fitting the turbojet-powered UAVs with
However, engineers from major defence version of the drone was shown at the cameras and TV datalinks to enable them

to snoop on enemy activities. In the 1990s,

firms are now working on a range of ARMY-2019 military expo. efforts to modernise these systems and irbus Helicopters is pushing off

projects, including a heavy drone bomber, The drone measures 60x60 cm, has a create new ones were beset by overwhelm- Athe fi rst fl ight of its compound

long-and-medium range reconnaissance takeoff weight of up to 6 kg, and a flight ing financial difficulties. Russia resumed Racer - which stands for rapid and

time of about 30 minutes. Its armament

UAVs, and smaller systems for local recon includes three small rocket launchers that research into drones in the late 2000s

and defence. shoot nets at enemy drones, entangling and early 2010s, with the Sukhoi Design cost-efficient rotorcraft - to 2022.
A company spokesman said the delay
Russian defence giant Almaz-Antey has them and bringing them down. If that fails, Bureau now at an advanced stage of work was the result of “the slowdown of

wrapped up testing of an enhanced version the drone rams the enemy UAV, breaking it on the"Okhotnik" ("Hunter") flying wing several production lines caused by

of a new interceptor drone designed to up in mid-air. combat UAV, and OKB Sokol developing the the pandemic.”

find and shoot down or ram enemy drones Russia’s need for mini-drones became Sokol Altiuslong-endurance reconnaissance,

autonomously, a company representative apparent during the country’s counter- strike and electronic attack drone for use by When initially announced in 2017,

has told Sputnik. terrorism mission in Syria, with the military the Air Force and Navy. Other companies Airbus said Racer would begin flights
The drone, called the Volk-18, or "Wolf- regularly intercepting and destroying small are working on a number of other projects, in 2020. Despite the delays, the started last year, and the spokesman said Safran Aneto-1X engines that provide

18," is said to be a substantial improvement off-the-shelf drones packed with explosives ranging from a drone wingman for the new programme has already achieved Airbus Helicopters expected to launch final 25 percent more power the similar-sized

significant milestones, including passing

over a previously unveiled version of the launched by jihadists at the Russian air base Sukhoi Su-57 fighter, to artillery projectiles vehicle assembly in “the coming weeks.” engines. Up to a 15 percent reduction

UAV, featuring a new optical locator system in Latakia. that can launch small UAVs. critical design review in 2019. The Racer is designed to cruise nearly in fuel burn can be achieved when
one of the two engines is placed in

which increases target detection range, and Late last year, the Russian Defence More recently the manufacturing of twice as fast as a conventional helicopter, standby mode during cruise flight, a

an enhanced control system. LATE TO THE DRONE GAME Ministry announced that the military would long-lead items in 2020, with major with cruise speeds up to 220 knots. The configuration Safran calls "Eco Mode."

“Flight testing of the upgraded version Despite its status as a major military power, begin taking delivery of long-range strike components such as the canopy, the aircraft is derived from the European

of the Volk-18, including the destruction Russia’s developments in the field of drones drones fitted with guided missiles and composite side shells, and the tail boom Commission's H2020 research programme

as part of the Clean Sky 2 initiative.

have already been delivered.

of real-life drone targets, has been have been limited, until recently, with the specialised ammunition in 2021. Q Article courtesy: https://www.

successfully completed. The UAV has been United States, China, Iran, Britain, and South Assembly of major sub-assemblies also It is powered by a pair of 2,500-shp ainonline.com/

improved significantly. We plan to enter Africa developing and fielding drones in Article courtesy: https://sputniknews.com/

World Airnews | March 2021 World Airnews | March 2021
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