Army-2021: Kronshtadt showcases GROM UAV.

At ARMY-2021 International Forum in Russia,  Kronshtadt presented its heavy-class UAV GROM (Thunder), a drone intended to work as a "loyal wingman".

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GROM UAV displayed at ARMY-2021 (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The high speed attack UAV is designed for missions including:

- Operating as a "loyal wingman" aircraft in the forward assault wave while teaming with manned aviation
- Detection and destruction of Army air defense and object air defense systems
- Destruction of ground-targets with high-precision guided weapons
- Destruction of surface targets and shore objects
- Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions

As the data of Kronshtadt Company suggest, the Grom drone has its own strike capabilities due to the presence of four hard-points: two under the wing panels and two inside the fuselage.  It can reportedly employ a variety of weapons including guided missiles as well as the KAB-250 and KAB-500 guided aerial bombs. It has been reported that GROM could be equipped with guided air-to-surface Kh-38 missiles.

Characteristics, as presented during Army-2021 forum:

According to a recent statement, GROM will alos be able to control a swarm of 10 light strike drones being launched from another aircraft: "Reconnaissance drones are capable of flying back. Strike drones, as in the case with loitering munitions, are kamikaze UAVs. Molniya drones will constantly interact with each other and the carrier drone," the Kronshtadt representative informed. The Molniya is optimized for its use in a swarm of drones, he said.

"Molniya drones constantly exchange data among themselves. It is possible to alter an assignment for each member of the swarm. They can transfer leader roles and are inter-changeable. Artificial intelligence allows a group of drones to fulfil its assignment without constant communications with the carrier aircraft," the company specified.

GROM UAV displayed at ARMY-2021 (Picture source: Army Recognition)