Difference between revisions of "Orion"

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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a Russian strike UCAV. It was introduced in [[Update "Drone Age"]].
 
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a Russian strike UCAV. It was introduced in [[Update "Drone Age"]].
  
At its introduction, the Orion UCAV is the only drone with multiple types of loadouts to choose from when spawning.
+
As of the introduction of Strike UCAVs to the game, the Orion UCAV is the only drone with multiple types of loadouts to choose from when spawning.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
Line 68: Line 68:
 
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}
 
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}
 
<!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' -->
Being a strike drone, the Orion has no amour plating whatsoever. The only saving grace of the Orion is that it is still a relatively small target and hard to spot. Remember that being out of sight means a higher chance of survival.
+
Being a strike drone, the Orion has no armour plating whatsoever. The only saving grace of the Orion is that it is still a relatively small target and hard to spot. Remember that being out of sight means a higher chance of survival.
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
Line 82: Line 82:
 
* 2 x 9M133FM3 missiles
 
* 2 x 9M133FM3 missiles
  
The 9M133M-2 Kornet-М is a supersonic tandem charged missile, good for destroying MBTs that players at this battle rating use. It has a good flight speed and decent maneuverability, so you can always hit those sneaky light tanks and SPAAs running around the battlefield.
+
The 9M133M-2 Kornet-М is a supersonic tandem warhead missile, good for destroying MBTs that players at this battle rating will commonly face. It has a good flight speed and decent maneuverability, so you can for the most part reach any target so long as it is within the missile's strike range.
  
The 9M113FM3 Kornet-М is a supersonic missile with a high explosive warhead. It penetrates as much as 61 mm of armour. The blast is enough to knock out most MBTs. You can give most [[XM1069]] and [[PUMA]] users an extremely bad day.
+
The 9M113FM3 Kornet-М is a supersonic missile with a high explosive warhead. It penetrates as much as 61 mm of armour. The blast is enough to knock out most MBTs when hitting places that can trigger Overpressure, such as the turret or hull roof.
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
  
The Orion fills a good niche as the "everyman's CAS". It is available to everyone, which can be very beneficial to players who have not researched BR appropriate aircraft or helicopters. You start off by spawning at an altitude of 4000 meters above the battlefield. Your main priority is SPAA. They are usually found stationary at the enemy spawn. Destroying them will not only help your survival, but also enable your fellow helicopter/aircraft pilots to move in and provide better, uninterrupted CAS. If there are no SPAA around, your next target would be enemy tanks that are near/on the capture points. Once you fire both [[9M133M-2]] or [[9M133FM3]] missiles, you have three options:
+
The Orion fills a good niche as the "everyman's CAS". It is available to everyone, which can be very beneficial to players who have not researched BR appropriate aircraft or helicopters. You start off by spawning at an altitude of 4000 meters above the battlefield. Your main priority is SPAA - they are usually found stationary at the enemy spawn. Destroying them will not only help your survival, but also enable your fellow helicopter/aircraft pilots to move in and provide better, uninterrupted CAS. If there are no SPAA around, your next target would be enemy tanks that are near/on the capture points. Once you fire both [[9M133M-2]] or [[9M133FM3]] missiles, you have three options:
  
 
# '''Loiter over the battlefield and provide reconnaissance:''' Just because you can no longer use your missiles doesn't mean you can't help your team! Fly around the battlefield and scan the area with your amazing optical camera. Once you spot any enemy vehicles that pose a threat to your team, quickly mark them on the map and tell your teammates using the in-game chat (alternatively if you have any squad mates, you can work with them and point out enemies nearby using the squad marker)
 
# '''Loiter over the battlefield and provide reconnaissance:''' Just because you can no longer use your missiles doesn't mean you can't help your team! Fly around the battlefield and scan the area with your amazing optical camera. Once you spot any enemy vehicles that pose a threat to your team, quickly mark them on the map and tell your teammates using the in-game chat (alternatively if you have any squad mates, you can work with them and point out enemies nearby using the squad marker)
 
# '''Land and rearm:''' Once the two ATGMs are used, reduce your throttle and glide towards the airbase. Once you land, begin any repairs and necessary rearming so you can take off. It should be worth noting that the Orion UCAV suffers from a low speed and a horrid climb rate, making the return to base and return to the battlefield incredibly lengthy. Altitude is also the only saving grace of the Orion, as helicopters/attack aircraft will generally be at lower altitudes and SPAAs will have no trouble sending a very slow target back to the hangar screen. Consequently, fighting at low altitudes should be regarded as a suicide mission.
 
# '''Land and rearm:''' Once the two ATGMs are used, reduce your throttle and glide towards the airbase. Once you land, begin any repairs and necessary rearming so you can take off. It should be worth noting that the Orion UCAV suffers from a low speed and a horrid climb rate, making the return to base and return to the battlefield incredibly lengthy. Altitude is also the only saving grace of the Orion, as helicopters/attack aircraft will generally be at lower altitudes and SPAAs will have no trouble sending a very slow target back to the hangar screen. Consequently, fighting at low altitudes should be regarded as a suicide mission.
# '''Bail out of the vehicle and spawn in a more capable vehicle:''' While it feels counterintuitive to bail out of a vehicle that cost 750 spawn points, it is the fastest and best way to get you back into the battle. Using the spawn points you accumulated, you can get enough to spawn another tank, an attack aircraft, or a helicopter. The advantage of this is that you should have cleared the path for you or other pilots to make some damage, as the SPAAs and anti-air threats are no longer there.
+
# '''Bail out of the vehicle and spawn in a more capable vehicle:''' While it feels counterintuitive to bail out of a vehicle that cost 750 spawn points, it is the fastest way to get you back into the battle. Using the spawn points you accumulated, you can get enough to spawn another tank, an attack aircraft, or a helicopter. The advantage of this is that you should have cleared the path for you or other pilots to make some damage, as the SPAAs and anti-air threats are no longer there.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===

Revision as of 08:13, 13 September 2023

Orion
ucav_orion.png
GarageImage Orion.jpg

Description

The Orion is a Russian strike UCAV. It was introduced in Update "Drone Age".

As of the introduction of Strike UCAVs to the game, the Orion UCAV is the only drone with multiple types of loadouts to choose from when spawning.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed
at 1 000 m220 km/h
Turn time22 s
Max altitude7 500 m
EngineSNECMA Atar 9C
Type
Cooling systemAir
Take-off weight1 t

The Orion has a low top speed. As a propeller-driven UCAV, its climb rate and manoeuvrability are also sub-par. Despite this, it still can carry a devastating loadout of 9M113M-2 or 9M113FM3 missiles.

Max speed
(km/h at 1,000 m)
Max altitude
(metres)
Turn time
(seconds)
Rate of climb
(metres/second)
Take-off run
(metres)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
220 220 7500 22.0 22.0 2.5 2.5 250

Details

Features
Combat flaps Take-off flaps Landing flaps Air brakes Arrestor gear
X X X X X
Limits
Wings (km/h) Gear (km/h) Flaps (km/h) Max Static G
Combat Take-off Landing + -
390 450 N/A N/A N/A ~__ ~__
Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons Rudder Elevators Radiator
< 250 < 250 < 250 >250

Survivability and armour

Crew0 people
Speed of destruction
Structural0 km/h
Gear450 km/h

Being a strike drone, the Orion has no armour plating whatsoever. The only saving grace of the Orion is that it is still a relatively small target and hard to spot. Remember that being out of sight means a higher chance of survival.

Armaments

Suspended armament

Main articles: 9M133FM3, 9M133M-2

The Orion can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

  • 2 x 9M133M-2 missiles
  • 2 x 9M133FM3 missiles

The 9M133M-2 Kornet-М is a supersonic tandem warhead missile, good for destroying MBTs that players at this battle rating will commonly face. It has a good flight speed and decent maneuverability, so you can for the most part reach any target so long as it is within the missile's strike range.

The 9M113FM3 Kornet-М is a supersonic missile with a high explosive warhead. It penetrates as much as 61 mm of armour. The blast is enough to knock out most MBTs when hitting places that can trigger Overpressure, such as the turret or hull roof.

Usage in battles

The Orion fills a good niche as the "everyman's CAS". It is available to everyone, which can be very beneficial to players who have not researched BR appropriate aircraft or helicopters. You start off by spawning at an altitude of 4000 meters above the battlefield. Your main priority is SPAA - they are usually found stationary at the enemy spawn. Destroying them will not only help your survival, but also enable your fellow helicopter/aircraft pilots to move in and provide better, uninterrupted CAS. If there are no SPAA around, your next target would be enemy tanks that are near/on the capture points. Once you fire both 9M133M-2 or 9M133FM3 missiles, you have three options:

  1. Loiter over the battlefield and provide reconnaissance: Just because you can no longer use your missiles doesn't mean you can't help your team! Fly around the battlefield and scan the area with your amazing optical camera. Once you spot any enemy vehicles that pose a threat to your team, quickly mark them on the map and tell your teammates using the in-game chat (alternatively if you have any squad mates, you can work with them and point out enemies nearby using the squad marker)
  2. Land and rearm: Once the two ATGMs are used, reduce your throttle and glide towards the airbase. Once you land, begin any repairs and necessary rearming so you can take off. It should be worth noting that the Orion UCAV suffers from a low speed and a horrid climb rate, making the return to base and return to the battlefield incredibly lengthy. Altitude is also the only saving grace of the Orion, as helicopters/attack aircraft will generally be at lower altitudes and SPAAs will have no trouble sending a very slow target back to the hangar screen. Consequently, fighting at low altitudes should be regarded as a suicide mission.
  3. Bail out of the vehicle and spawn in a more capable vehicle: While it feels counterintuitive to bail out of a vehicle that cost 750 spawn points, it is the fastest way to get you back into the battle. Using the spawn points you accumulated, you can get enough to spawn another tank, an attack aircraft, or a helicopter. The advantage of this is that you should have cleared the path for you or other pilots to make some damage, as the SPAAs and anti-air threats are no longer there.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Spawns at altitude (4000 meters)
  • Access to two devastating 9M133M-2 or 9M133FM3 missiles
  • Exceptional optical camera with 2nd Gen thermals
  • Hard to counter by SPAA
  • Available for everyone to use

Cons:

  • Low maximum speed
  • Terrible climb rate
  • Access to only two ATGMs for a price higher than most helicopters and attack aircraft (which can carry more ATGMs)
  • A large amount of time will be spent going from spawn to the airfield to rearm and back - better off bailing out and spawning another tank, aircraft, or helicopter
  • Small launch window

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

External links


Kronstadt Group
Drones  Orion

Strike UCAVs
USA  MQ-1
USSR  Orion
China  Wing Loong I