Ukraine Reportedly Tests New Jet-Powered Kamikaze Drone

A new drone was tested in Ukraine, with photos and videos indicative of an air intake that pointed towards the use of a jet engine.

The announcement was made on the Facebook page of Maxim Glushak, according to military news outlet Militarnyi.

In the photos, the drone sported a canard design with smaller wings placed at the front of the vehicle, which could generate more lift and provide longitudinal stability.

Meanwhile, the back of the drone resembles that of a jet propulsion engine, with Militarnyi, a military news outlet, suggesting the thrust to be adjustable.

In the test footage, the drone could be seen taking off with the aid of a special cart, which detached once the drone reached a certain speed. The sound generated by the drone is also reminiscent of ordinary jet planes.

According to Militarnyi, volunteers from the “Battalion Volunteer” charitable foundation also took part in the drone’s test flight.

Information about the new drone remains scarce, however, and it is not possible to ascertain whether this is a one-off prototype or is intended for mass production. Performance data such as the range and speed are also unavailable.

Kyiv Post’s military analysts have examined the video and were able to determine with a high degree of certainty that the drone in the video is jet-powered. The sound of the jet engine was consistent with the aspect angle, maneuvers and phase of flight the drone was operating in.

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This is also not the first jet-powered drone Ukraine has displayed to the world. The UJ-25 Skyline jet-powered drone was spotted embedded in the roof of a building in occupied Berdyansk in December, where it made its first public appearance in September.

Full view on the Ukrainian UAV which was shown in recent CNN interview with the Minister of Digital Transformation of 🇺🇦. It’s name is UJ-25 Skyline. While it’s design is very similar to the UJ-23 Topaz, some differences are noticeable.
Full interview - https://t.co/asgVx2octU https://t.co/AZ8yXfz6vD pic.twitter.com/2fduCjLb3j
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) September 14, 2023

On Jan. 10, Ukraine reportedly downed a newer jet-powered Shahed kamikaze drone launched by Russia, though the Ukrainian Air Force was unable to confirm the incident.

SBU Drones Hit Two Oil Depots in Russia’s Krasnodar Region

This attack is part of a series of strikes on oil refineries in both Russia and the occupied territories of Ukraine since the beginning of 2024.

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Leo Chiu

Leo Chiu is a news reporter residing in Eastern Europe since 2015 with a profound interest in geopolitics, having witnessed two presidential elections in Belarus and visited numerous contested regions worldwide. He believes in the human side of journalism and that there's a story to be told behind every number and statistic.