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since the outbreak of the war between russia and ukraine in 2022, various drones have played a huge role on the battlefield and have greatly affected the war mode. both sides have used various unmanned aerial vehicles (uavs) for reconnaissance and assault. the fpvs carrying various explosives and rocket warheads flying all over the sky have become the number one threat to tanks and armored vehicles. various commercial drones have greatly expanded the battlefield perception capabilities of the infantry squads of both sides of the war. even through battlefield "hand rubbing", commercial drones can also throw grenades/modified grenades to kill enemy infantry and destroy expensive armored vehicles and other weapons and equipment. to a certain extent, drones have become the biggest threat to both sides of the war between russia and ukraine.

ukraine uses a large number of civilian drones and their ammunition

initially, ukraine’s main military drone, the turkish-made bayraktar tb2, was seen as a game changer, helping to destroy many russian artillery systems and tanks. russia, in turn, used cheaper iranian-made shahed-136 drones and its own lancet cruise missiles to strike ukrainian targets. but the war also exposed the vulnerability of larger, more expensive drones, which are likely to be shot down by advanced enemy air defenses.

turkish-made bayraktar tb2

iran's "small motorcycle"

lancet cruise missile

examples abound of russia using long-range drones, primarily iranian shahed-type drones, against ukraine. these so-called suicide attack drones are used as part of a larger aerial assault, and these drones are used in conjunction with more expensive cruise missiles. while shaheds are effective offensive weapons on their own, when used in conjunction with more expensive cruise missiles, they put a strain on ukrainian air defenses and create better opportunities for cruise missile attacks.

compared with russia, ukraine has a considerable gap in comprehensive military strength and systematic weapons and equipment. the only long-range attack weapons it has are either old stocks from the soviet era or weapons support from the united states and europe, and the use of these long-range weapons is subject to certain restrictions. in this case, various drones have become an important "balancer of power" for ukraine.

ukrainian suicide drone attack

ukraine is also increasingly using this type of drone. ukraine uses suicide attack drones as an important part of its low-cost long-range attack plan against russia. long-range attacks on strategic targets deep inside russia. attacks on strategic targets such as oil storage depots, refineries, airports, etc. these attacks also have a psychological warfare effect. ukraine hopes to use this method to make russian people far away from the russian-ukrainian battlefield feel the atmosphere of war. moreover, it also stretches the front line of russia's air defense system, forcing the russian army to deploy some air defense systems far away from the front line.

the russian army deployed the "armor" air defense system on the roof

based on various public information, this article will introduce ukrainian suicide attack drones that can penetrate deep into russia.

mugin-5

initially, ukraine used chinese-made civilian drones purchased from the international market, such as the mugin 5000 civilian drone manufactured by xiamen yunlun intelligent technology co., ltd. (mugin uav) in my country. (as shown below) this model of drone is available on my country's online shopping platforms alibaba and taobao. after learning that ukraine used this drone for military purposes, xiamen yunlun intelligent technology co., ltd. (mugin uav) issued a statement condemning ukraine for using its products in military operations and stopped selling drone products to russia or ukraine.

mugin5000 civilian uav

the payload bay of the mugin 5000 civilian uav

ukraine installed explosives in the payload compartments of these civilian drones and attacked the black sea fleet headquarters and other critical infrastructure in sevastopol, crimea in august 2022. later, due to the chinese government's control over the export of drones, this type of drone has been replaced by ukrainian-produced products.

some key dimensions and performance data of the mugin-5 drone:

wingspan: 5000 mm

length: 3500 mm

maximum fuselage width: 375 mm

wing area: 261.5 square decimeters

empty weight: 33.64 kg

maximum take-off weight: 85 to 90 kg

payload: approx. 25 kg

maximum speed: 150 km/h

cruising speed: 120 km/h

stall speed: 55 km/h

fuel tank capacity: 30 liters

maximum flight time: more than 7 hours, the specific time may vary depending on configuration and usage conditions

mugin-5 crashed in crimea in february 2023

Tu-143“Reys” /Tu-141“Strizh”

tu-143 "ray" / tu-141 "swift"

Tu-143 “Reys”

tu-143 "reys" is a tactical unmanned reconnaissance aircraft developed by the tupolev design bureau during the soviet era, with the nato code name "ray". the tu-143 uav adopts a canard aerodynamic layout and has certain stealth performance. it can fly at high speed and conduct low-altitude reconnaissance, and is also resistant to bacterial contamination and nuclear radiation contamination. in the chernobyl nuclear power plant accident, the tu-143 was used to perform nuclear radiation reconnaissance missions. in addition, the tu-143 uav has also been used in the afghan war and the lebanese war. in ukraine's use, the tu-143 "reys" uav was modified to carry explosive payloads and perform suicide attack missions. these drones were used to attack russian military and energy facilities, such as the attack on an oil storage facility in the bryansk region on january 19, 2024, and the attacks on the belgorod and kursk regions in southern russia in december 2023.

tu-143 performance data:

fuselage length: 8.06 meters

wingspan: 2.24 m

wing area: 2.9 square meters

wing leading edge sweep angle: 58°

maximum take-off weight: about 1230 kg

flight altitude: 100-2000 meters

activity radius: 95 km

flight speed: 950 km/h

fuel capacity: 190 liters

range: 180 km

cruise time: 13 minutes

tu-141 "strizh", a tactical unmanned reconnaissance aircraft also developed by the soviet tupolev design bureau. codenamed "swift" by nato, the tu-141 drone is designed for high-speed reconnaissance missions hundreds of kilometers behind the front lines and is capable of carrying a variety of payloads including movie cameras, infrared imagers, electro-optical imagers, and imaging radars. it is launched from a trailer via a solid propellant booster and lands on a tail-mounted parachute. the tu-141 served in the soviet army from 1979 to 1989, mainly deployed on the soviet union's western border.

tu-141 performance data:

length: 14.33 m

wingspan: 3.88m (

height: 2.44 m

wing area: 10.0 m2

maximum take-off weight: 6,215 kg

powerplant: 1 × tumansky kr-17a turbojet engine, thrust 19.6 kn

maximum speed: 1,100 km/h

cruising speed: 1,000 km/h

range: 1,000 km

service ceiling: 6,000 meters

these two tactical unmanned reconnaissance aircraft were still stored in ukrainian military warehouses when the soviet union collapsed and ukraine became independent. since the outbreak of the russian-ukrainian war in 2022, ukraine has weaponized them and used them as crude cruise missiles. the similar but older and larger tu-141 "strizh" has also been reportedly weaponized in the same way, although the two may sometimes be confused in news reports.

after modification, the tu-141 drone was used to carry explosive warheads and perform long-range strike missions. for example, on december 5, 2022, ukraine used a modified tu-141 drone to attack russia's engels air base, which is about 600 kilometers from the ukrainian border. in addition, there are reports that ukraine used tu-141 drones to attack other russian military targets. ukraine dismantled all the reconnaissance equipment originally designed to carry, including movie cameras, infrared imagers, electro-optical imagers, and imaging radars, in order to make room for carrying explosive warheads. according to reports, the tu-141 drone has a payload of up to 250 kilograms, which allows it to carry a considerable weight of warheads.

comparison of tu-143 "reys" and tu-141 "strizh"

tu-143 “reys” /tu-141 “strizh” wreckage

uj-22airborne/uj-22 "airborne"

the ukrainian uj-22 "airborne" drone is a multi-purpose uav system developed by the ukrainian ukrjet company, capable of performing missions in various environments and weather conditions. it is a single-engine drone that can carry an internal warhead or multiple air-dropped bombs. the payload is 20 kg. its appearance is a traditional light aircraft layout, with an engine driving a propeller at the front of the fuselage, a simple upper single straight wing layout and a fixed landing gear.

uj-22 airborne

the following are the performance data of uj-22:

maximum flight speed: 160 km/h

cruising speed: 120 km/h

maximum flight distance: 800 km (in autonomous mode)

maximum battery life: 7 hours

maximum flight altitude: 6,000 meters

load capacity: 20 kg

take-off weight: 85 kg (including payload)

operating range: 100 km under ground control, up to 800 km in autonomous mode

preparation time: 3 minutes from unpacking to flying

the uj-22 airborne drone was used by the ukrainian army in the russian-ukrainian conflict to perform reconnaissance, surveillance, and intelligence gathering missions, and it can carry weapons for strikes. it can carry four 82mm mortar shells or six improvised bombs modified from rpg-7 rockets to perform strike missions. it is reported that the uj-22 airborne drone has a hit accuracy of less than 10 meters when dropping bombs at an altitude of 700 meters.

in terms of combat examples, the uj-22 airborne drone crashed just 100 kilometers from moscow in february 2023, indicating that the aircraft has the ability to strike deep into russia. in addition, the uj-22 drone has also participated in attacks on targets in russia, including an attack on an oil refinery in the rostov region in southern russia and an attack on an oil refinery in the krasnodar region. in february 2023, the uj-22 airborne was confirmed to be used in the attack on moscow. according to an investigative report by the german newspaper bild, the ukrainian secret service attempted to assassinate russian president vladimir putin by deploying suicide drones. the alleged incident occurred on april 23, 2023, when a uj-22 airborne drone was launched from ukraine and targeted an industrial park near moscow, where putin was scheduled to give a speech. the uj-22 airborne drone was equipped with 17 kilograms of explosives and crashed 20 kilometers away from the intended target for unknown reasons. passersby later discovered the wreckage of the drone.

crashed uj-22 airborne drone

morok moss

morok is a suicide attack drone developed from the rz-60 target drone. earlier, the ukrainian security service disclosed the existence of this drone system and released some of its data. the drone has a flight distance of 800 kilometers and a payload of 30 kilograms. its prototype rz-60 target drone has a relatively short range of 300 kilometers and a payload of only 3 kilograms. morok needs to be launched with a rocket booster, which allows it to reach a take-off speed of 290 kilometers per hour.

above: confirmed photo of the morlock drone, below: rz-60 drone

uj-25 skyline/uj-25 skyline

the uj-25 skyline is essentially a weaponized development of the ukrajet uj-23 topaz target drone. it uses a jet engine, has a recessed air intake on the back, and it has distinctive forward-swept wings. very little information is available about this drone at this time.

the uj-25 reportedly crashed on the roof of a house in the eastern city of berdyansk in the zaporizhia region, a photo of which is shown below:

the exact destination of the drone is still unclear, and the warhead it may have carried did not detonate for unknown reasons. berdyansk is an important port city on the sea of ​​azov, and russian ships appearing here are targets of attack by the ukrainian side.

the uj-25 first appeared publicly in the context of a september 2023 cnn interview with mykhailo fedorov (deputy prime minister of ukraine and minister of digital transformation) about ukrainian drones. no specific details about the uj-25 were provided in the interview. however, the design is clearly derived from the ukrjet uj-23 topaz, which was originally developed as a target drone for use in training exercises and test and evaluation activities.

ukrjet uj-23 topaz target drone

uj-25 skyline /uj-25 skyline was first spotted in the background of a cnn interview with ukraine's deputy prime minister and minister of digital transformation mykhailo fedorov in september

uj-25 skyline/uj-25 skyline

the uj-23 and uj-25 also look roughly the same. both drones share some stealthy design features, including prominent creases around the fuselage and recessed air intakes on the back. the tails of the topaz and skyline are very reminiscent of the kratos xq-58 valkyrie, whose shape can be traced back to the us stealth aircraft design. the design of the uj-23 and uj-25 is generally very similar to the xq-58.

Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie

the uj-23's manufacturer, ukrjet, does not appear to list the uj-25 on its public website. the company does provide detailed information about the uj-23, saying it has a cruising speed of around 600 kilometers per hour, a top speed of nearly 800 kilometers per hour, and is able to stay airborne for up to 90 minutes. the uj-23 is designed to be manually controlled via a line-of-sight link, but can also be set to follow a pre-programmed route. its exact launch mechanism is unclear (a catapult or rocket-assisted launcher arrangement seems most likely).

uj-26 beaver/uj-26 beaver

the uj-26 beaver is one of the most famous types of ukrainian suicide drones, with a unique canard layout, a smooth fuselage and an inverted tail. the type was launched in 2023 and has reportedly entered mass production. this type of drone has been used to attack moscow and other targets in russia. its design resembles a "duck" with the engine or propeller located at the rear, making it a unique presence in the sky.

uj-26 beaver

a uj-26 beaver crashed in crimea showing the arrangement of the warhead and fuel tanks

performance data:

maximum range: 1000 km.

speed: between 150 and 200 km/h.

wingspan: 2.5 meters.

length: 2.5 m.

weight: 150 kg.

payload: capable of carrying approximately 20 kg of warhead.

design features: the uj-26beaver drone has a canard aerodynamic layout, a small front wing, and is capable of effective altitude changes and evasion of air defense systems.

cost: each drone costs more than $100,000.

lyutyy / fierce

the lyutyy is relatively large and has a conventional drone structure. it bears some resemblance to the turkish-made bayraktar tb2, but differs in details. the design was unveiled in november 2022 by anna gvozdyar, deputy minister of the ministry of strategic industries.

it is reportedly a product of ukroboronprom (ukrainian defense industry group). the group brings together more than 100 companies covering 5 major defense industry areas, including the research and development and manufacturing of weapons and military equipment, scientific research, and export and import business. ukroboronprom (ukrainian defense industry group) has more than 10 design bureaus, including the well-known aircraft manufacturer antonov design bureau. it is clear from photographic evidence that lyutyy is related to the pre-war antonov an-bk-1horlytsia (turtle dove) design. it has a similar tail and other details, which is unlikely to be a coincidence. it was previously reported that antonov was developing a heavy attack drone and was widely reported to have switched to drone production after the outbreak of war in 2022.

antonov an-bk-1 horlytsia (turtle dove) uav

the performance data of the lyutyy drone are as follows:

size and weight: length is about 4.4 meters, wingspan is about 6.7 meters, and maximum take-off weight is between 250-300 kilograms.

power system: the drone is powered by a rear-mounted gasoline piston engine with a three-bladed propeller. the engine design is similar to the german hirth f-23 50 hp aircraft engine.

navigation and control system: the lyutyy uav is equipped with an advanced satellite-aided inertial navigation system, which enables autonomous navigation over long distances.

payload: the uav has a payload capacity of more than 75 kg and is capable of carrying a considerable weight of warhead.

range: the lyutyy uav is designed to be able to fly over 1,000 kilometers carrying a 75 kg warhead.

warhead: the drone's warhead casing is made of thick-walled steel, weighs approximately 50 kg and is designed to cause extensive damage to the target.

production and deployment: the lyutyy uav was developed by ukrainian defense complex ukroboronprom and has reportedly entered mass production and has carried out a number of successful long-range strikes on the battlefield.

cost: the lyutyy drone costs about twice as much as the previous bober (beaver) attack drone, which costs about $400,000 each.

the warhead of the lyutyy uav has grooves on the body of the warhead that are prefabricated fragments, which increase the lethality after the explosion.

lyutyy crashed on january 31, 2024 in nizhny novgorod.

wreckage after the lyutyy crash

aq-400 scythe/aq-400 scythe

the aq-400 scythe is a suicide drone developed by the ukrainian company terminalautonomy (formerly one way aerospace) and has now entered mass production. its appearance is obviously different from other suicide drones. it has a rough box-shaped fuselage and two wings in front and back. the front part of the fuselage is an upper wing with two obvious vertical surfaces at the wing end, and the tail part of the fuselage is a lower wing. its performance data is as follows:

range: the maximum range is 750 kilometers (if the engine is replaced, the range can be extended to 900 kilometers).

take-off weight: maximum take-off weight is 100 kg.

payload: standard load is 32 kg, which can be extended to 70 kg by reducing the range.

wingspan: 2.3 meters.

cruising speed: 144 km/h, terminal phase speed can be increased to 200 km/h.

flight time: 6.5 hours.

price: the base model costs about $15,000, and the guided capability model costs about $30,000.

launch method: the drone can be launched from a short runway or via a catapult.

aq-400 sickle. note that the landing gear can be replaced with a trolley or launch rail arrangement.

lord

designed and developed by destinus, a swiss-based aerospace company, lord is a relatively simple design overall. its aerodynamically simple shape, easy-to-produce box-like fuselage, and modest size all suggest low production costs. of course, like the aq-400 "scythe" and some others, it prioritizes low production difficulty. performance is likely to be noteworthy, probably around 750 km, with a relatively large payload. but specific performance data is currently lacking.

Y-Ill

a turkish-pakistani project, the y-iii has a long, thin fuselage with boxy wings and tail. given its small internal volume, it may have a shorter flight range than some other designs, but it has been used against targets in russia. pakistan has also used this type to strike hostile targets.

reference photo of the y-iii on display in pakistan.

banshee

the british-made banshee was reportedly donated to ukraine, and at least one crashed behind russian defenses. the banshee is a high-performance twin-jet drone used by the british royal navy. the aircraft is designed and manufactured by the british company qinetiq. it is a high-speed aerial target drone that is mainly used to simulate various manned and unmanned system threats, including fighter jets, drones and cruise missiles, to support the testing and training of weapon systems. the performance data of the aircraft is as follows:

length: 2.85m to 2.95m

height: 0.78m

wingspan: 2.49 m

speed: maximum speed can reach 720 km/h (about 200 m/s)

range: more than 100 km

maximum flight altitude: 9144 meters

battery life: more than 45 minutes

power: twin turbojets, each providing 45 kg thrust, totaling 90 kg thrust

launch speed: approximately 45 m/s (162 km/h), varies with payload

payload: capable of carrying up to eight smoke flares, up to 16 infrared (ir) flares, ir and chaff decoy dispensers, luneberg lenses, and an iff transponder system capable of operating in modes a and c

other equipment: radar altimeter, active radar enhancer, sea skimming module, active radar homing simulator (arhe), acoustic and doppler radar, and radar with mean deviation indicator (mdi) can also be equipped

after receiving it, ukraine used it as a suicide drone. further details of its weaponization have not yet been disclosed and confirmed.

R-15

the drone has a swept-wing design, a front-mounted engine with a two-blade propeller, and twin tails. it is smaller than most other "long-range" drones, with a length of 1.2 meters and a wingspan of about 2.4 meters. the drone is associated with ukrainian philanthropist and volunteer serhiy prytula. the design and development of the drone was supported by a foundation created by serhiy prytula. in may 2023, the type was apparently used in an attack on the iisky refinery in the krasnodar territory. then in march 2024, it appeared again in a large-scale attack involving multiple types. there is currently a lack of confirmed performance data.

example for may 2023

example observed in russia on march 12, 2024.

a22 "foxbat" / a22 "foxbat"

on april 2, 2024, a large drone was photographed swooping into buildings associated with a factory in the city of yelabuga (republic of tatarstan, russian federation). the factory is reportedly producing shahed-type drones for the russian military and is located 1,300 km from the ukrainian-russian border. the drone appears to be a weaponized light aircraft. many sources identified the base aircraft as a ukrainian-made aeroprakt a-22 foxbat ultralight aircraft.

the final image was captured by camera. it appears to be a drone using the a22 foxbat airframe.

performance data:

maximum take-off weight: 450 kg (for ultralight version), 600 kg (for lsa version).

wingspan: 10.28 m (standard version), 8.5 m (for a22-l version).

length: 6.4 m.

height: 2.2 m.

powerplant: usually equipped with a rotax 912uls four-cylinder air-cooled horizontally opposed piston engine with a power of 75 kw (100 hp).

maximum speed: about 220 km/h.

cruising speed: about 180 km/h.

stall speed: about 52 km/h with flaps fully down.

climb rate: about 210 meters/minute.

fuel capacity: 90 litres.

maximum range: over 1,100 km.

the a-22foxbat is designed with simplicity in mind, easy maintenance and operation, making it suitable for agriculture, flight training and recreational flying. it has excellent short takeoff and landing (stol) capabilities and can operate from simple runways. during the russo-ukrainian war, the a-22 foxbat was used in a variety of roles, including reconnaissance missions and as a "drone hunting" aircraft, carrying precision shooters to intercept enemy drones in the air. the aircraft has also been converted into a suicide attack drone to attack enemy targets. the a-22 is ideal for such missions due to its relatively low cost, ease of large-scale procurement, and stable and easy-to-control flight.

Sky Ranger Nynja

on april 26, 2024, images of a light aircraft crashing in a field were shared on russian social media. the aircraft is a variant of the sky ranger nynja produced by the ukrainian aeros company and has been converted into an unmanned aircraft. an ofab-100-120 aerial bomb is strapped to a rail under the fuselage. the aerial bomb is a soviet-era vintage weapon, weighing 100 kg and containing 42 kg of explosives. at first glance, the bomb appears to be controlled to be dropped on the target, but the aircraft appears to be a one-way flight system with no consideration for return. this is actually a suicide drone (owa-uav) converted from a light aircraft. another unusual feature of the aircraft is a spherical camera under the fuselage. this indicates that it has high-bandwidth two-way communication capabilities, which helps achieve higher accuracy, which is particularly important in an environment where gps is jammed.

the skyranger nynja is a light aircraft designed and manufactured by the british company flylight airsports ltd, with the ukrainian company aeros also involved in the design and manufacturing process.

performance data:

fuselage length: 5.90 m

wingspan: 8.90 m

wing area: 12.8 square meters

maximum take-off weight: 472.5 kg

payload: 197.5 kg

maximum speed: 216 km/h

cruising speed: 140-160 km/h

optimum climbing speed: 90 km/h

optimum climb rate: 3.5-6.5 m/s

stall speed: 65 km/h

optimum glide ratio: 9:1 @ 90 km/h

take-off distance: 320 meters

landing distance: 280 meters

fuel capacity: 60 liters

fuel consumption: 12-16 liters/hour

maximum battery life: 3.5 - 5 hours

FP-1

in april 2024, the wreckage of a uav with a twin tail-boom design was photographed in the oryol region of russia. a few days later, another uav of the same type was also photographed. the design of the uav matches the design revealed in an interview with ukrainian media in october 2023. according to russian reports, the uav has a 40 kg blast fragmentation warhead (composed of 25 kg of high explosives and 15 kg of steel balls). the name of the uav was later confirmed by russian sources as fp-1. no specific technical data has been revealed for this model.

screenshots from media reports of the type, as well as a crash site found in russia.

dart 250

the dart 250 is produced by the british company modini. it is a drone based on the design of a small jet, with canards and a distinctive delta tail. it is powered by the same company's gt-500 turbine, with a thrust of about 50 kg. the professional anti-radar version is the dart 250ew. with a wingspan of 2.9 meters, a payload of 25 kg, a range of over 250 km, fuel of about 33 kg, and a reported speed of 432 km per hour (120 meters per second).

the dart 250 is currently in mass production.

unnamed type

russia has reportedly discovered and shown several ukrainian drones to the public, but has not disclosed specific models or performance data. we will just name them by numbers for now.

1

at least two of these drones were found crashed in russia on december 9, 2023, and another was found crashed in march 2024. these drones have a very simple layout and a simple tubular fuselage. the vertical tail and wings are all the same simple rectangular shape, indicating that it is designed for cheap manufacturing and easy assembly. the rear fuselage is made of hollow tubes, with plastic bottles used as fuel tanks. a warhead is strapped under the nose behind the piston engine. this is one of the new ukrainian suicide attack drones, optimized for low-cost manufacturing.

2

an example of a jet drone crash was shared on russian social media on february 7, 2024. it was apparently a suicide attack drone. look at the photo of the wreck shared online. note that the lower fuselage is inverted and the air intake is at the bottom.

3

drones of this type were spotted launching attacks against russian air defenses in yevpatoriya, crimea in september 2023. since then, they have been spotted several times over russian territory.

the prototype was displayed alongside the chaklun drone in november 2022. note that it has a different engine, tail, and landing gear than the chaklun drone.

chaklun drone

the drone is equipped with a 12 hp dle120 piston engine in a pushrod configuration. the engine is mounted high with a unique fairing in front. the wings include extended wing roots and small wing surfaces. the tail is a twin-boom layout with a tapered vertical stabilizer and a horizontal tail on top.

4

— a large drone with a form of “loitering munitions.” it has a wingspan of 4 meters, is 2.7 meters long, and is equipped with a 14 kg warhead. further details are not yet known.

5

images of a crashed jet-powered flying wing drone were shared on russian social media on june 27, 2024. the design was reportedly powered by a single sw140b turbine sold on the civilian market.

6

on january 29, 2024, a ukrainian drone crashed at a refinery in yaroslavl, russia, about 900 kilometers from ukraine. there are few details about the drone, and its overall layout can be roughly inferred based on the photos that have been circulated. it has a box-shaped fuselage and a tractor-type front engine driving the propeller, a v-shaped tail and a flat single wing with vertical panels on the wing ends. russian sources estimate the length to be 1.5 meters, the wingspan to be 3 meters, and the warhead to be 10 kg.

notice that it appears upside down.

7

in the summer of 2024, this type of double-tail-boom drone was found crashing several times in russia. its layout is similar to fp-1, but different from fp-1. the fuselage structure may be a carbon fiber structure.

8 balloon bomber

both ukraine and russia have used balloons. however, generally speaking, weather systems may work in ukraine's favor in the region, allowing balloons to carry bombs and launch attacks at very high altitudes. intercepting these balloons can be very difficult and costly. however, the main challenge is navigation, as balloons are largely at the mercy of the wind.

the ukrainian type observed was sausage-shaped, floating vertically, with a control unit, gps tracker and bomb hanging below. there was also a water bottle attached to the rope. while these look crude, they are likely to be increasingly sophisticated.

other notable models:

also of note is the gorgon, which is listed by ukrainian drone manufacturer miltech group as the "gorgon" owa-uav. range and payload, as well as operational status, are unknown.

gorgon

e-300 "enterprise" & d-80 "discovery" / e-300 "enterprise" and d-80 "discovery"

ukrainian manufacturer aerodrone supplies the e-300 "enterprise" and d-80 "discovery" drones. it has not yet been confirmed that either is being used for strategic strikes. the e-300 resembles a light aircraft, redesigned based on the aeros skyranger. the clumsy but fully functional d-80 "discovery" was originally used for agricultural work.

e-300 "enterprise" (left) and d-80 "discovery" (right)

e-300 “enterprise” performance data:

maximum take-off weight: 540 kg

payload: up to 300 kg (including fuel)

wingspan: 8.50 m

length: 5.72 m

wing area: 14.1 square meters

service ceiling: 5000 m (16,400 ft)

range: 675 km (up to 3,150 km with additional fuel tanks)

endurance: 5 hours (up to 23 hours with additional fuel tank)

cruising speed: 135-150 km/h

take-off/landing runway distance: 100-150 meters; automatic runway, soft field

climb rate: 5 m/s

navigation: encrypted satellite navigation and inertial navigation

powerplant: 97-100 hp, 4-stroke engine

fuel: ron 95 (aki4 91)

command: gcs los: siso/mimo up to 220 km, bvlos: gsm/lte, satcom

camera: eo(1920 x 1080) / ir(640 x 480) / lrf (optional)

d-80 "discovery" performance data:

maximum take-off weight: not explicitly provided, but the drone is capable of carrying a payload of up to 80 kg.

payload: 80 kg

wingspan: not explicitly given, but according to the description it has a wingspan of 8 meters.

endurance: on a single flight, the d-80 discovery can stay airborne for up to 23 hours.

maximum flight range: 3,100 km, but this is achieved with a reduced payload.

powerplant: the specific model is not provided, but the drone is equipped with an engine capable of supporting long-distance flight.

emergency landing system: in case of emergency, the d-80 "discovery" is equipped with a parachute system that can safely lower the drone to the ground.

both drones are suitable for a variety of missions, including reconnaissance, cargo transportation, and as attack platforms. their high payload capacity makes them ideal for these missions. aerodrone was originally a manufacturer of agricultural aircraft, but due to changing times, the company turned to the military field. the e-300 "enterprise" and d-80 "discovery" are two models developed by the company for the ukrainian army.

the final outcome of a war still depends on the military strength of both sides, not one or two weapons. ukraine's suicide drones today are just like japan's "baga" bombs at the end of world war ii. they cannot change the fate of final defeat. even if the ukrainian ambassador to japan lives in the yasukuni "holy toilet" every day, pleases the japanese right-wing forces, and strengthens japan-ukraine cooperation, he still cannot escape the fate of failure.