The ‘Penicillin’ acoustic and infrared hardware can effectively detect Ukrainian artillery, a source told RIA Novosti
The complex of artillery reconnaissance ‘Penicillin’. © Research Institute ‘Vector’
Russian troops have received a fresh batch of ‘Penicillin’ advanced reconnaissance systems, RIA Novosti news agency reported on Saturday, citing a source. The hardware is expected to be used in Ukraine.
The source said the Russian Defense Ministry “received another batch of the advanced 1B76 Penicillin acoustic and infrared reconnaissance systems,” adding that the device “effectively detects the positions of the Ukrainian artillery and transmits coordinates for their prompt destruction.”
Another source earlier told the agency that Penicillin artillery trackers had proved their worth in the Ukraine conflict, as they are able to target, among other things, NATO-grade artillery.
The reconnaissance system can also detect rocket and air defense systems, and register acoustic and infrared waves. This provides the operator with precise coordinates to pinpoint the adversary’s firing positions. The time needed to locate a single target does not exceed five seconds.
Another major advantage of ‘Penicillin’ is that it does not rely on radio waves, making it immune to electromagnetic warfare and impossible to detect by radio-technical means. The hardware was developed and produced by the R&D enterprise ‘Vektor,’ which is part of the Russian state-owned holding company Ruseletronics.
The new delivery comes as Moscow boosts its efforts to supply its military with all necessary equipment for the Ukraine conflict. On Friday, Andrey Vetluzhskykh, the head of the Trade Union Federation in the Sverdlovsk Region of Russia’s Urals, said defense enterprises had switched to a six-day working week.
Last week, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who now serves as deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, claimed that Russia was “increasing the production of the most powerful weapons and munitions,” including those based on “new principles,” to deter countries which are supporting Ukraine in its fight with Russia.
