Ukrainian Armed Forces showed how SA-13 Gopher surface-to-air missile system destroyed rare Russian Orlan-30 drone
The Ukrainian Defence Forces occasionally shoot down rare Russian Orlan-30 drones. One such drone was recently destroyed by the Strela-10 surface-to-air missile system (NATO codified as SA-13 Gopher).
Here's What We Know
Unlike the Orlan-10, the more modern 30th version is much rarer. The unmanned aerial vehicle is used for reconnaissance, surveillance and laser-guided munitions correction from heights of up to 5,000 metres.
#Ukraine: A rare Russian Orlan-30 reconnaissance UAV was shot down by a Strela-10 air defense system of the Ukrainian 93rd Mechanized Brigade in #Donetsk Oblast.
- ???????? Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) May 21, 2023
This Orlan variant carries a special payload for designing laser-guided munitions. pic.twitter.com/tXtijm0z0s
Orlan-30 was destroyed by fighters of the 93rd Mechanised Brigade in the Donetsk region. They used the SA-13 Gopher surface-to-air missile system, which is designed to intercept air threats at low altitudes.
Returning to the Orlan-30 drone, in addition to climbing to an altitude of 5,000 metres, it can reach speeds of up to 170 km/h and has a range of 150 km. It has a range of 300 km. The drone is capable of carrying electronic reconnaissance equipment and cameras with optical stabilisation weighing up to 8 kg. The maximum take-off weight is 27 kg
Source: @uaweapons
