The system is no larger than 20 centimeters long, weighs between 150 and 600 grams depending on the options and attached components. It is installed underground and remains literally under the enemy’s feet.

“The 1K144 system is a unique design,” Senior Designer of the system Alexander Chaplygin says. “Two similar, but not identical systems are currently available in the world, one in the US and another one in the UK; 1K144 has no competing products in Russia.”

“Concern Sozvezdie does the entire manufacturing cycle in-house, manufactuing its own components (detection sensors, wireless modems, logical data processing units). Therefore, we are not using any outside ideas or materials. The system’s sensors are essentially impossible to detect in practical terms – this would take special recon skills and special equipment that the enemy does not have at this time.

“First of all, every sensor takes only 0.01 second to process and transmit the data. Second, the aerial is underground, which takes stealth to a new level. The data is transmitted to the operator’s portable control panel (if the reconnaissance specialist is behind enemy lines) or to a computer workstation. We use wireless repeaters to increase coverage, with each repeater extending data transfer distance to 15 kilometers.”

The components and units contained within the system are rated for the temperature range from 40 degrees Celsius below freezing to +50 above. The components and assemblies are moisture-resistant and can operate in torrential rain for extended periods of time. The lithium battery can provide power for continuous sensor operation for 30 days at the daily rate of 2,000 detections. The system does not require any interim service and can be operated for five years.

The system is the result of many years of R&D and design work done by Sozvezdie in reconnaissance and alert instruments. Ealier-generation similar products were used back in the 1980s during the Afghanistan conflict.

The 1K144 system implements the latest developments in microelectronics, data processing, materials and processes technology. This has enabled Sozvezdie to make the system almost completely robotic and reduce its vulnerability to a minimum. The device can retain full functionality even if an artillery shell were explode 5 meters away.

The 1K144 system has several degrees of adaptation – by frequency, time, power – and is capable of structural adaptation (it can independently organize itself into networks with other systems). In practical terms, this means that the system can automatically adjust to the level of noise and can move to different frequencies, power ratings, etc., if the need arises.

“In addition, 1K144 was designed and built in such a way that it can make independent decisions if it loses communication link to the control panel. For example, it can automatically trigger an explosive charge to disable a piece of enemy equipment, such as a tank or an armored personnel carrier,” Alexander Chaplygin explains. “The system can independently detect, categorize [a piece of equipment], make a decision and destroy it. The last thing we need to train it to do is to install itself in enemy-held territory. However, this is something we expect to accomplish in near future, as solutions have been found and will be implemented in our R&D shortly.”

The system can also be used for civil purposes. For example, as an early warning system for security of various facilities. The operating principle is unchanged: the sensors detect movement of a person or equipment, calculate whether the intruders have any weapons on them, and transmit the data to the operator. According to the system’s designers, the alert of a potential threat will come much sooner than the threat scan be detected by video surveillance or other security systems.