Range Drones With Rockets to Attack Russian Rear
Business Insider • • world
Key Points:
- Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) have equipped long-range fixed-wing drones with up to eight cheap unguided rockets, using them to bombard strategic Russian targets and suppress air defenses deep in enemy territory.
- Video footage shows these drones attacking a Russian Black Sea Fleet naval installation in Crimea and harassing air defense crews, with rockets launched in pairs from pods under each wing.
- The tactic allows Ukraine to conduct cost-effective, expendable strikes up to 500 km (310 miles) from the border, preserving the drone's more powerful 132-pound warhead for primary targets while using rockets against secondary threats.
- The drones used closely resemble the Fire Point FP-1 or FP-2 models, capable of flying nearly 1,000 miles and costing around $50,000 to $55,000 each, though the exact model has not been officially confirmed.
- Russia has also employed long-range drones armed with missiles, such as R60 air-to-air missiles fired from Shahed-type drones against Ukrainian helicopters and aircraft.