Ukrainian Heavy Drone Deployment system

[buzzbomb]

I have an old scratchbuilt Bereg Coastal Artillery vehicle, based on the old Dragon 1.35 SCUD TEL. Great kit for its day and this was build, many, many years before the Trumpeter kit came out. Based on Drawings in an old Tankette magazine.


It is now much worse for the wear and tear after a number of displays and moves. Time for refresh or the bin. I chose refresh
How about a Ukrainian modification for a Heavy Drone Deployment system. Containerised modules that can be pre-loaded with drones of various type so that the local commander can select the correct drone to suit a mission.

Yes all this could be done with a truck... but where is the fun in that 

So take every thing off to mull some ideas


Going with the existing turret as the basis for the next portion


Hack a bit out, to sort of give the idea of the containerisation concept


Some smaller drone, more the Anti Tank size stowage bays on the sides


Concept building, the large retractable box for a larger drone and a smaller unit on a slide out "launch" tray. Two per compartment, stacked.


The vertical launch bays would also have a suite of drones that can be deployed.

[zenrat]

So its a heavy system to deploy drones, rather than a system to deploy heavy drones?

Very good, carry on.   

[Dizzyfugu]

Nice kit re-cycling! 

[Old Wombat]

OK, that's looking cool! 

[kerick]

This is going to be so cool! Ukrainian digital camo!

[NARSES2]

OK, that's looking cool! 

It is indeed 

[buzzbomb]

I dunno folks... much hand wringing overnight on this.

I am now looking at ditching the MAZ 8 wheel chassis and going for something a bit less.... overkill.

Hmmm TBA. Work in progress

[kerick]

You will need a miniature control tower for air traffic control for all those drones. Plus a bunch of antennas. I personally would stick with the MAZ vehicle. It's your project so do it your way. Just my $0.02 worth.

[Old Wombat]

Overkill is underrated! 

[Captain Canada]

The first iteration looked great.....looking forward to seeing more of the rebuild.

[Wardukw]

Right one thing ,, i do love meself a large russian truck and the MAZ 8x8 has been a fav for a damn long minute so    right there alone 
She's a big beast of a rig without doubt and with a load of 25tons she's not short of load carrying either ,,so what your doing here Buzzy mate is overkill for sure but as it say's in my little saying's section ,,Over kill is often very understated ..
So go for it ..why the hell not ,,the way my mind is seeing this is a go anywhere at anytime with a good amount of speed ,,( these trucks are fantastic offroad ) mobil drone deployment system ,, you could load it with those new drones which are tube mounted and fired like a mortar so you could use swarm tactics ,
I'm working with the idea of "If ya got it,use it" way of things ,, the Ukrainians have this laying around ,,this rig is doing nothing ,,so why not make some use from it .

At some point i'm thinking of turning mine into something like the CAESAR  SPG but on a bigger scale mounting a 2S7 Pion 203mm (8in) gun on it ...i've got the older than mud Dragon SCUD kit in the stash and its already been started (not by me) so no fear cutting it up 

[Rick Lowe]

Good stuff. 
I remember those articles, good to see someone made use of them.   

Agree that overkill is underrated. 

Looking forward to seeing where this goes.

[Supertom]

Clearly, "your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should" is a phrase you've never heard of.

[buzzbomb]

Right mulling over the chassis component completed.
Went down scale.. say on the back of a M548 Tracked Load Carrier, as the Ukrainians have those. Just did not work for me.. not beefy enough


Back on the MAZ chassis... Overkill does have its own level of satisfaction  Still tinkering with where the modules will go, but back on track. Or wheels.



More work on the "container" type setup.


Now going to tart up the other module a bit more, add some more Drone Hangerage for some Vertical Launch drones Frank suggested and make it a bit chunkier as well. All to just make the MAZ chassis look a bit like it is a heavy lift system.

[buzzbomb]

Oh well.. put this back up again after the small hiccup. These things happen in the big wide world of web.

Some forward movement, getting it nearer to where it perhaps should be.

Couple of profile shots, with the layout I am going with now



The second module, has been enlarged, with some vertical launch bays and an extendable Sensor Mast.

Drone in the bay, test fit. Still to fit the props, so the wingy things may have to get a trim