At the end of 1957 TUPOLEV Design Bureau appointed a group of specialists to start activities on unmanned air vehicle. The activities were headed by Alexey A.Tupolev. The work started without formal orders making no special publicity. It was not a passion with popular subject – from the very beginning the new tenor of advanced aviation was treated seriously. First of all it can be explained by increased requirements to aviation development in accordance with state-of –the-art level of that times. Certainly there was a rational attitude to application of aircraft capable to operate without pilot saving his life. Absence of the pilot in an air vehicle immediately puts much more severe requirements to such aircraft characteristics as G-force, altitude, vibration, temperature and some others.

To-day it does not matter how the DB started working on the new trend of aviation – weather it was done under Government Decree or in Andrey Tupolev initiative supported by the higher authorities. By the way, at that time the DB performed many investigations in various trends of aviation. Andrey Tupolev appealed to Commandment of Army and to Government with issues on many of these investigations. It was normal way of working at that time. In 1957-1958 Alexey A.Tupollev together with his assistant Victor Saharov elaborated a structure of new division, gathered the backbone of the collective, defined key trend of work. And the work started in full swing. The core of the team was composed of V.Blizniuk, Y.Orlov, N.Kozlov, V.Andreev, A. Davtian, A.Kochrgin, G.Cheriomuhin, A.Kaandalov, S.Svirskiy, B.Saharov, B.Stoma, V.Ryabenko, G.Polezhaev, Y.Shumilov, G.Gofbaauer, B.Grozdov, L.Lanovskiy, V.Kulinskiy. All of them were emplyees of our Design Bureau and rather young people. Said division was a part of the DB and was designated by index “K”.

The first task of said new collective was building of unmanned strike aircraft of strategic purpose (TU-121, “C” aircraft).

This was unusual work for the DB. It was not because of complexity of the air vehicle itself having rather high technical characteristics : booster-rocket launching at takeoff equal to 35 t, cruise flight at the speed up to 2700 km/h at the altitude of 22000 m and range of 4000 km. When work started the most unusual were the requirements to combat application of the air vehicle and operation. Complex composed of several air vehicles and aids of ground support had to be completely autonomous and capable to leave their bases independently, to operate from unprepared fields maintaining combat condition. It was necessary to solve problems of no aviation nature which were not considered in the DB previously. Management of the division had to arrange new services, to establish business links with non-aviation organizations. Designing of the air vehicle itself also raised a number of technical questions. Such as selection and test of unusual aerodynamic layout, heat demand, especially of radio-equipment, development of autopilot system that provided both stabilization of the air vehicle and capability to fly along preprogrammable path. It was necessary to build multimode short service life turbojet engine that operates at reheat power, to design air intake that provides engine operation both under sub-sonic and supersonic conditions. There also were questions regarding fuel system functioning in view of in-flight fuel heating and some other problems. Airframe skin temperature in flight was equal to 100-120oC. Total start thrust is 160 tf at operating boosters and reheat power main turbojet engine. So there were many issues difficult from technical point of view. And the collective began to solve them.

It should be noted that Alexey A.Tupolev showed himself worth as manager of the project. He always showed high capacity for work. He worked 10-12 hours a day being in contact with specialists substantially all the time.

Works on large-range unmanned strike aircraft which started in 1958 were stopped in 1960 defining a basis for activities on unmanned reconnaissance aircraft “Yastreb”-DBR-1. Said works were successfully completed in 1964. From 1965 DBR-1 complex entered serial production. The aircraft had unique characteristics for that time. It was completely autonomous for combat missions and data acquisition and processing.

“Yastreb” reconnaissance aircraft had flight speed of 2700 km/h, flight range – abut 4000 km and flight altitude – 19-22 km. From said altitude it was possible to recognize railway sleepers. It was the real break-through in various trends of aviation science. To perform photo-reconnaissance long-focus aerial camera and radio-reconnaissance station were built for the first time for in-flight record of all data received from military radio-emission sources.

Operational standards for unmanned complex, list of required specialists and combatant unit structure were developed for the first time when making “Yastreb” DRB-1 formations and during its operation. All these served later as a basis for further unmanned complexes.

“Yastreb” DBR-1 complex operation confirmed aviation need in unmanned complexes. In 1968 three years after entering into combatant unit operation a new Government Decree was issued on building of unmanned complexes of different purpose. Our Design Bureau was commissioned with manufacturing tactical complex “Reis” and operation and tactical “Strizh”.

“Reis” complex was designed, tested and put into serial production within extremely short period – less than four years. In 1972 unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, launcher, transportation and loading vehicle and test system were put into serial production. The complex was soon launched into operation and was widely used in combatant units. Total serial output of these aerial vehicles is about 1000 machines. Reconnaissance aircraft was built in three reconnaissance versions - photographic, TV and radiation. Data from TV and radiation equipment was linked down to ground data acquisition center in real time. “Reis” complexes have been operated till now days.

“Reis” complex was delivered to a number of foreign countries where it was used in real conditions and showed worth.

“Reis” complex was followed by efficient reconnaissance complex “Strizh” with more extended range of reconnaissance equipment: photo- , IR-, TV-, laser and radio-systems. The complex provides reconnaissance range of 450 km. The complex was quickly introduced into combatant units and have been in operation in our Army till now.

In 1973 activities on unmanned aerial vehicles were headed by Georgiiy Gofbauer - one of leading specialists of our DB , who occupied this post for more than 20 years. He was the person who directly organized serial production of “Reis” and its operation in combatant units, modification and upgrading of certain items of the complex, “Strizh” test.

The main creation of Mr. Gofbauer became “Reis-D” complex. In early 1980-s activities were intensively deployed on this complex. Nevertheless “Reis-D” complex represents “Reis” modernization it differs from the latter and is much better by technical characteristics and effectiveness.

“Reis-D” meets prescribed tactical and technical requirements maintaining all positive features of “Reis”. As a result the new complex efficiency grew 3-4 times. mainly due to integration of reconnaissance equipment. The “Reis-D” is provided with photo- and TV- equipment or with set of photo- and IR-equipment. It means that data transfer in real time and detail reconnaissance is provided. We significantly (almost twice) increased flight range, cut down time required for flight task preparation and introduction , decreased minimal flight altitude which effects greatly upon aerial vehicle vulnerability. The complex is in serial production and is currently operated in combatant units.

To-day developed countries entered the next phase of unmanned aircraft evolution. The phase is characterized by great verity of aerial vehicles both by application and purpose. By their application they are reconnaissance aircraft, targets, jammers, repeaters. USA started intensive activities on creation of strike unmanned aerial vehicle. Reconnaissance –surveillance aircraft became of wide application capable to loiter over reconnoitered territory for long time and to transfer data in real time. A rather important issue to be considered now – is data acquisition and processing and efficient bringing to command and execution levels.

Out DB is currently intensively working on building new and upgrading existing unmanned complexes. We have some good works done regarding application of aerial vehicles for new purposes when using separately and as a part of long-range and strategic aviation.