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Volk-18 / Wolf-18

"Volk-18" is a helicopter-type UAV with four rotor-engine groups. Its armament includes three small rocket launchers that shoot nets at enemy drones, entangling them and bringing them down. If that fails, the drone rams the enemy UAV, breaking it up in mid-air. Russian defence giant Almaz-Antey has wrapped up testing of an designed to find and shoot down or ram enemy drones autonomously. The drone measures 60x60 cm, has a takeoff weight of up to 6 kg, and a flight time of about 30 minutes. Russia’s need for mini-drones became apparent during the country’s mission in Syria, with the military regularly intercepting and destroying small off-the-shelf drones packed with explosives launched by jihadists at the Russian air base in Latakia.

The appearance of the product is determined in accordance with the tasks being solved and taking into account a specific set of units. As the project developed, the exterior of the drone did not change, but the internal units underwent a major update. In addition, new control principles were developed and implemented to simplify the use of the interceptor.

The widespread use of UAVs and the development of technology observed in recent years led to the emergence of new risks. The combat potential of army reconnaissance and strike aircraft is well known. The experience of recent conflicts also shows the fundamental possibility of carrying out attacks using inexpensive civilian UAVs. Accordingly, the topic of protection against drones is becoming increasingly important and necessary. Means of protection against such threats are necessary for the army, as well as law enforcement and civilian structures.

Several main methods of combating UAVs were proposed, which were being implemented in a wide variety of projects from different countries. One of them involves neutralizing the target using non-lethal contact means. The new Russian Volk-18 belongs to this class.

In the main interception mode, Volk-18 uses a net shot. The latter should cover the target, preventing its further flight. In the case of helicopter-type UAVs, the mesh entangles the propellers and stops the motors. Unmanned aircraft are threatened not only by engine stopping, but also by jamming of control surfaces. After such an impact, the aircraft cannot continue controlled flight; he plans or falls - and breaks. Apparently, Volk-18 is capable of sending both light and medium-sized UAVs to the ground. It “hits” the propeller, allowing it to intercept targets larger than the interceptor itself.

Intercepting with a net has obvious advantages, although it does impose some requirements. The wicker “damaging element” effectively solves its problem, and a missed shot does not threaten surrounding objects. At the same time, it requires fairly high pointing accuracy. In addition, the intercepted object falls uncontrollably, which poses some threat.

The prospective UAV is made in a carbon fiber body of complex shape. A voluminous fuselage is provided to accommodate controls, batteries and “weapons”. Four propeller groups are mounted on two T-shaped units. Electric motors with a peak power of 550 W are used with two-blade propellers with a diameter of 400 mm. The length and width of the product without rotors does not exceed 600 mm, height – 400 mm. Take-off weight – 6 kg, of which 2 kg payload. The battery charge is enough for 30 minutes of flight with patrol and target interception.

In the forward part of the fuselage there is a transparent fairing, under which several optical-electronic devices are located. During the recent modernization, new optical devices with improved characteristics were introduced. Provided visibility in a sector of 20x25 degrees. On-board electronics ensures that a video signal is sent to the operator's console.

The modernized "Wolf-18" received a new control system that allows it to operate both according to commands from the remote control and in automatic mode. The latter allows the drone to independently enter a given area, conduct surveillance and identify targets, as well as target them and intercept them. In this case, the operator only has the decision to attack.

Under the optics fairing on the nose there is a hinged weapons compartment cover. Below it there are three devices for launching grids. Shooting is carried out at the operator’s commands or automatically, but with his permission. In case the ammunition is used up, it is possible to ram the target.The small-sized "Wolf-18" does not impose any special requirements on the means and conditions of transportation to the place of use. Its preparation for flight does not take much time and is not particularly difficult. At the same time, independent patrolling and automated target interception are ensured. Thus, based on the totality of its characteristics, an interceptor drone can be of great interest to a wide range of operators.

In 2019, Russian industry presented the first domestic helicopter-type unmanned aerial vehicle designed to intercept small targets. According to reports, the Wolf-18 interceptor drone had successfully completed flight and combat tests, and now preparations were underway for new tests. The results of future government tests would determine the real prospects of this development.

The Wolf-18 project was developed by Prom Composite and NPO Almaz, part of the Almaz-Antey Concern. The finished sample was demonstrated for the first time at the Army 2019 forum. Then some characteristics and main capabilities of the product were revealed. No successes were reported during the trials.

At the National Exhibition and Forum of Civil Aviation Infrastructure NAIS-2021 held in Moscow running 9-10 February 2021, Almaz-Antey showed for the first time the Wolf-18 UAV of a modified version. The enhanced version of the interceptor drone was said to be a substantial improvement over a previously unveiled version of the UAV, featuring a new optical locator system which increases target detection range, and an enhanced control system. Updated product specifications were announced, and in addition, important news about the progress of the project was announced. The developers claimed that the interceptor drone recently passed flight tests. All features of the product’s operation in the air were checked. In addition, Volk-18 carried out a test interception of small UAVs. Already it was planned to conduct state tests that will determine the future of the new development.

“Flight testing of the upgraded version of the Volk-18, including the destruction of real-life drone targets, has been successfully completed. The UAV has been improved significantly. We plan to enter state testing this year,” a company representative said. Elaborating on the Volk-18’s capabilities for autonomous operation, the Almaz-Antey official explained that “now, the operator only confirms the decision to attack the enemy drone. Search, identification, target selection, manoeuvres and the actual destruction of UAVs are carried out independently. Among Russian drones this is the first system of its kind.”

Russia continued to develop various systems for combating unmanned aircraft, using a variety of operating principles. The upgraded version of the Volk-18 UAV is the first domestic development of its kind, combining direct impact on the target and the possibility of automatic operation. The Volk-18 interceptor had undergone flight tests and demonstrated its ability to intercept small air targets. In 2021 it was planned to begin state tests, after which the product would be able to go into series and enter into operation in different structures. The starting customer is likely to be the armed forces, which have a keen interest in air defense systems.

As followed from the latest news in February 2022, the Wolf-18 project successfully solved the problem of detection and guidance equipment. Moreover, after modernization, the interceptor drone was able to operate automatically and successfully perform all its functions. The successful completion of work on Volk-18 may become an incentive for the further development of automated interceptor drones. New samples of this kind, developed by different organizations, may be shown in the very near future. The development trends of unmanned aircraft clearly show that such equipment will not remain without tasks.

Serial production of an un-named model of multifunctional UAVs for the civilian market had been launched at the site of the North-Western regional center of the Almaz-Antey concern - the Obukhov plant in St. Petersburg. The first four hundred products will be assembled in November 2022, and about a thousand drones are planned to be produced by the end of this year. This was reported 29 October 2022 by the concern's press service, with an associated photograh of the Wolf-18 [though this project was not mentioned by name or by function in the text].

The project was based on the most popular and convenient UAV functionality – “quadcopter”. Carbon fiber, filled polymers and other modern Russian materials are used in production. The widespread use of additive technologies provides UAVs with high strength, low weight and high performance characteristics. The device can be operated under strong wind loads and negative temperatures. Almost all components of the product, including the flight controller along with its software, were created and manufactured by the St. Petersburg enterprises of the Almaz-Antey concern.

The UAV is supplied in a waterproof case that protects the kit from mechanical influences and provides ease of storage and transportation. The kit includes the UAV itself, two replaceable batteries, a tablet computer with installed software, a control panel, a kit for transmitting video to a mobile device, a set of spare blades and a key for their installation, connecting cables and chargers.