Ukraine's Secret Drones Blindside Russia with Precision Strikes
The Ukrainian security service has revealed that its military has begun utilizing advanced drones with an automatic target-tracking feature. These drones have already successfully targeted and destroyed several Russian missile systems.
6:15 AM EDT, April 12, 2024
Shrouded in secrecy, These new Ukrainian drones are known for independently identifying targets, maintaining a safe distance, and persistently tracking them before executing a strike on enemy equipment.
While specific details remain undisclosed, the drones have generated significant interest due to their presumed integration of electronic warfare countermeasure systems. This technology presumably enables the drones to pinpoint and precisely follow enemy assets until the moment of attack.
The new weapon significantly impacts Russian defenses
Initial footage showcasing the effectiveness of these drones has surfaced online, marking the first confirmed instances of their deployment. According to the Ukrainian security service, these drones have already taken down several Russian air defense systems within a week, including the notable Buk and Tor-M2 systems.
The 9K37 Buk, a missile system developed in the late 1970s, is designed to counter challenging targets such as maneuvering missiles, aircraft, and helicopters, emphasizing jamming resistance.
The most advanced iteration, the 9K317M Buk-M3, boasts six effectors and a maximum range of 43 miles. This version is touted to engage all known aircraft and missiles up to 21 miles, despite some claims of a maximum effective altitude of 15.5 miles.
Another system neutralized by the Ukrainian drones dates back to the early 1980s. This system dispatches missiles at speeds of 3080 ft/s (approximately 2105 mph) over a distance of up to 7.5 miles. The 9K332 Tor-M2 variant introduces the ability to target with 9M331 missiles and features an improved radar system, enhancing its minimum engagement range to 0.6 miles.
