Once again, Yefim Gordon has produced a most interesting volume on a subject that most of us rarely think about; the UAV. Recent wars in the middle east have shown the importance of modern UAVs when it comes to surveillance and even in performing offensive operations. The UAV is not quite as new a thing as one would think. The US made extensive use of these vehicles with the Ryan Firebee family of UAVS during the Vietnam War and Israel uses them extensively to monitor its borders. The benefit of a UAV is that you don't risk a pilot in what may well be a hazardous mission. Another benefit is that there doesn't need to be additional weight of pilot support systems. The down side of early UAVs was the inability to make judgment calls during the mission as they were often pre-programmed. Such is not the case with modern UAVs and their ground based human operators.

The author has chosen to divide the book according to who made the UAVs (or drones as they were often called in the past). That being the case there were three historical makers of these vehicles. First was Lavochkin who made one of the smallest UAVs. The La-17 was basically an engine with wings that had a small payload area for cameras. It was initially developed as a target drone and had its mission expanded in later versions. This could be air launched from a Tu-4 or ground launched with rocket assist.

Next is Tupolev with the gigantic Tu-121/3 strategic cruise missile. This UAV had intercontinental range and was mostly used for strategic reconnaissance. The vehicle would complete its mission and drop off the nose section containing the cameras and other sensors along with their information. Quite an intensive support system was required for this vehicle, and while a totally reusable version was to be developed, it was superceded by the Tu-143, a smaller vehicle that was also truck-launched and totally recoverable. This is shown on the book's cover. This was followed by the very similar Tu-141, a system that is currently being utilized.

Yakovlev is the third manufacturer covered and this company has developed much smaller battlefield UAVs that look more contemporary than the missile-like Tupolevs or Lavochkins. A number of other prototype Yak UAVs is in this section.

Kamov is also presented and these are more in line of helicopter UAVs, all of which are prototypes.

Finally a section on current UAV programs by various manufacturers. Some of these are quite fanciful and others are more in the line of large radio-controlled model aircraft.

All of this is enhanced by excellent photographs, a full history of the types as known, drawings and a color section at the end of the book.

I found the subject to be fascinating and I'm sure that you will as well. It is a book that I highly recommend.

June 2005

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