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Asia Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Asia Times
Soldiers have a huge stake in Ukraine-Russia drone-tech arms race
Ukrainian drone warfare has evolved from improvisation to a high‑volume, precision‑strike ecosystem that Russia often struggles to match. With some operators flying up to 15 missions a day and factories now producing millions of drones, Ukraine's domestic drone production has reached an unprecedented scale. These drones have become central to Ukraine's battlefield strategy – pinpointing, punishing and relentlessly pushing back Russian forces – even as some analysts question how long Ukraine can hold its technological advantage. Russian troops, by contrast, are often starved for drones. Some battalions receive just 10 to 15 FPV (first-person view) drones per week. 'We know where they are flying from, but there is nothing to kill with,' lamented one Russian operator. A Russian drone developer recently admitted, 'Modern combat realities prompt us to modernize and iterate on drones practically every month.' Regulatory bottlenecks have made matters worse. 'Heavy drones now require state approval,' wrote a Russian blogger, noting that units have begun constructing their own drones to fill the vacuum left by the faltering domestic drone industry. An FPV drone is being prepared for combat operations in Eastern Ukraine. Photo: David Kirichenko One of the standout innovations has been Ukraine's development of the Vampire – a heavy multirotor drone the Russians have nicknamed Baba Yaga after a mythical Slavic witch. Russian forces have attempted crude countermeasures, attaching long sticks to their FPV drones to intercept Ukraine's bulky bombers. Russian soldiers, when the Baba Yaga drone flies overhead, are terrified of the resulting impact. While Ukraine continues to develop newer platforms, it has also refined older systems to enhance their impact on the battlefield. Mavic drones pioneered the use of light bombing in Ukraine, serving as lethal anti-personnel systems early in the war. But FPVs have since taken over the role, offering greater payload capacity and flexibility. Some FPV drones now carry up to six VOG high-explosive grenade bombs – compared with the two typically deployed by Mavics – allowing for more impactful strikes with greater reach and frequency. Ukrainian drone operators are loading T-62 anti-tank mines onto a heavy bomber drone. Photo: David Kirichenko One of the more recent innovations pushing that edge is the emergence of mothership drones. Ukraine is using mothership drones – large unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) capable of carrying and launching multiple FPV drones – to conduct long-range strikes behind enemy lines. In the (translated) words of one Russian commentator, FPV drones are about tactical dominance. They bring chaos, fear and uncertainty to close combat. They are not feared, they are hated. They are cheap, massive and deadly effective. And their potential grows with each passing day: AI guidance, automated launches, swarms. These are no longer makeshift weapons, but new close-combat artillery. FPV drones have emerged as a key interceptor weapon to target Russian reconnaissance drones for the Ukrainian military. The Russians use the FPV drones to target Ukrainian Baba Yaga drones. Yurii, a drone pilot in Ukraine's 23rd Mechanized Brigade, has been fighting since 2014 and is regarded as one of the best pilots in the unit. Photo: David Kirichenko Much of Ukraine's operational drone success stems from specialized units. The Birds of Magyar, one of Ukraine's most prolific drone units, released some data from the outfit's drone operations. In March 2025 alone, the unit executed more than 11,600 sorties, hitting over 5,300 targets. Most of these were achieved with FPV drones (67%) and heavy bombers (31%). While viral FPV strike videos captivate online audiences, the less glamorous Baba Yaga night bombers may in fact inflict the bulk of real-world damage. These UAVs specialize in demolishing infrastructure and personnel shelters, not just enemy armour. The March tally: 1,701 strikes on Russian infantry, resulting in 1,002 confirmed kills, and dozens of bunker-busting missions. Furthermore, in April, Ukrainian drone brigades reported striking 83,000 Russian targets – marking a 5 percent increase compared to March. Dmytro Lysenko, a drone pilot with the 109th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade, before he was killed in combat in 2024 stated: 'Even when we drop explosives from drones on Russians, I sometimes shiver and feel discomfort because I remember all those times I was sitting in a trench.' He added, 'The Russians would shoot at us with everything possible. But the drone was the scariest. A shell can fly and miss and that's it. But a drone pilot aims and will be very accurate when they drop an explosive.' Russian milblogger 'Vault 8' highlighted how Ukrainian FPV and reconnaissance drones dominate territory up to 25 kilometers behind the front line, making road travel highly dangerous and turning rear areas into what he calls a 'highway of death,' where even vehicles far from the front are frequently destroyed. Both sides are having to adapt to this reality. In 2024, one drone pilot told me that at some point in the near future, heavy armor won't be able to get within 10km (six miles) of the front and that 'Autonomous drones will patrol the skies and will be taking out all the heavy armor.' Now, Ukraine is using these drones to build a 'drone wall' along the front line, extending the no-man's land for dozens of kilometers and deterring Russian advances through constant aerial threat. Russia, for months, has been using motorcycles to spearhead its suicidal offensives, mainly due to a shortage of armored vehicles because of Ukrainian drones. Ukraine's 425th Skala Assault Regiment recently established its own motorcycle assault company. With FPV drones acting as the new artillery of modern warfare, motorcycles now offer one of the best chances for assault units to quickly break through. A Ukrainian FPV drone loaded with small explosives in Chasiv Yar. Photo: David Kirichenko Beyond direct attacks, the unit also lays mines, conducts drone reconnaissance (more than 10,000 missions to date) and is testing jamming-resistant drones. With national production surging to 200,000 drones a month, the kill rate of Birds of Magyar has soared, from under 300 targets a year ago to over 5,000 now. The drone unit is now averaging one Russian killed every 6.5 minutes. Even Ukraine's logistics have gone airborne. 'Vampire drones have now started to be used as logistics drones in some directions,' said Oleksii, a drone unit commander in the 108th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade. (The Ukrainian military protocol is for active duty personnel to provide only their given names.) They carry food and ammunition to frontline units, flying at low altitudes to avoid detection. 'FPVs ranging from 10 to 15 inches are being used,' Oleksii said. 'Unlike the Vampire, the FPV crew is much more mobile.' And while bombers must drop payloads from high altitudes to avoid small arms fire, FPVs can dive directly into a one-meter target. 'They're both effective, but each has its nuances,' said Danilo, a drone pilot for the 108th. 'FPVs are more effective against pinpoint targets, where the scale of damage doesn't matter but accuracy does.' For hardened positions, Danilo adds, FPVs fall short: 'A Vampire drone can drop a couple of TM-62 mines and take care of it. But it's a big drone, bulky, and requires a crew. It's harder to work with.' Oleksii further described the challenge: 'With a Vampire, you still need to transport it by vehicle. That means you either have to get close to the position or fly it from a long distance. At long range, it's very visible in thermal cameras and can be intercepted, even shot down by another FPV, before it even crosses the line of contact.' In some cases, however, FPVs outperform the Baba Yaga. 'FPVs, even with an effectiveness rate of 30-40%, cause more damage than the Vampire,' said Andrii of the 59th Brigade (Da Vinci Wolves). That's because Russian vehicles often stay far from the frontline. 'Not every Vampire can reach that far, but most FPVs can.' Moreover, FPVs fare better under Russian jamming, as they can switch control frequencies mid-flight, something the Vampire cannot do. One Russian reported that Ukraine's heavy drone bombers – targeting artillery crews, tanks, and command posts – offer a major strategic advantage due to Ukraine's systematic development and deployment methods. Ukraine also recently recorded its first confirmed kill using a drone-mounted grenade launcher, highlighting how the technological drone race continues to evolve. Even Ukraine's logistics have gone airborne. 'Vampires have now started to be used as logistics drones in some directions,' said Oleksii. They carry food and ammunition to frontline units, flying at low altitudes to avoid detection. 'FPVs ranging from 10 to 15 inches are being used. Unlike the Vampire, the FPV crew is much more mobile.' And while bombers must drop payloads from high altitudes to avoid small arms fire, FPVs can dive directly into a one-meter target. Soldiers from Ukraine's 23rd Mechanized Brigade are setting up a heavy bomber drone to conduct operations in Chasiv Yar. Photo David Kirichenko Russia, meanwhile, is still scrambling to respond. It lacks anything comparable to the Vampire/Baba Yaga. 'Ukraine invested in its fleet of larger, long-range drones as a response to Russia's investment in Shahed/Geran drones,' observed Samuel Bendett, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. 'Russia seems to be satisfied with Geran performance to date, has invested heavily in their mass production (many thousands to date) and seems to be content with their relatively low cost,' said Bendett. However, he also noted that 'since these drones have different ranges and different missions, they should not be compared to smaller FPVs, which have a different range and different tactical applications.' 'Ukrainian Vampire-type heavy drones have a complementary role to FPVs,' explained Roy Gardiner, an open-source weapons researcher and former Canadian officer. 'While FPVs attack Russian logistics vehicles during the day, heavy drones attack the same vehicles at night by precision mining Russian roads. The Russians complain the Ukrainian Baba Yagas have significantly increased in numbers, sometimes attacking several at a time and increasingly during the day.' 'There have been indications that Russian drone units have been forbidden to make direct purchases without permission from above,' said Gardiner. In the meantime, Russian units have resorted to bizarre improvisations, including the 'Vobla,' a jerry-rigged drone with four quadcopters connected to a single flight controller. 'Russia has made a lot of noise about developing a domestic drone industry, which of course has failed to deliver,' wrote Gardiner. With its drone innovation, Ukraine is positioning itself as a future defense hub for Europe. 'Ukrainians are training NATO in Poland and the UK, and have consulted with the Pentagon about their innovative use of US equipment,' said Branislav Slantchev, a political science professor at UC San Diego. 'Ukraine's defense industry will be massive,' he added. Ukraine 'was a critical hub in Soviet production and will now be part of Europe's.' Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine's former commander-in-chief, said, 'Europe needs Ukraine as a shield. We have the biggest army on the continent. We are the only one with an army that knows how to contain Russia.' Zaluzhnyi added, 'The only one with an army that knows how to wage modern, high-tech warfare.' An associate research fellow of the London-based Henry Jackson Society think tank, David Kirichenko is a Ukrainian-American freelance journalist, activist and security engineer who, multiple times during the Ukraine War, has traveled to and worked in the areas being fought over. He can be found on the social media platform X @DVKirichenko
Russia Today
16-05-2025
- Science
- Russia Today
Russian forces take out Ukrainian rotorcraft drone bombers – MOD (VIDEO)
The Russian Defense Ministry has published a video showcasing recent interceptions of Ukrainian rotorcraft bomber drones. These robotic aircraft are notable for their frequent integration with Elon Musk's Starlink system. Footage released on Thursday shows three separate interceptions by units from Russia's West group, which deployed small kamikaze drones to counter the Ukrainian aircraft. The drones in question, dubbed 'Baba Yaga' after a flying witch from Slavic folklore, were originally agricultural rotorcraft, but were repurposed for military missions. Ukraine has found a niche for such larger drones thanks to its access to the Starlink satellite internet system operated by Elon Musk's SpaceX. By mounting Starlink terminals onboard, operators can pilot the drones at virtually unlimited ranges, approaching in that regard the capabilities of advanced unmanned aerial systems. The Baba Yaga class drones typically feature six rotors — though some have four — and are valued for their substantial payload capacity. However, their size also makes them more susceptible to detection and neutralization by anti-aircraft defenses, including sniper fire. Earlier this month, the Russian military described tactics used to down the drones, including the deployment of sniper teams in which the spotter provides cover fire from an assault rifle, should the target try to engage the main shooter. A sniper identified by the callsign 'Sirius' explained the approach, saying in some situations it's advantageous for the team to remain in place after being discovered. 'When the enemy identifies our position and keeps the drones further away, we can use a longer-range sniper rifle. At such distances, high-speed targets require greater lead when aiming, but they can be taken out in two or three shots,' he said.
Geek Culture
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
'John Wick 5' Will Have New Story After Conclusion Of High Table Storyline, Says Director
The High Table storyline from the first four John Wick films may have concluded, but the (killing) adventures of the Baba Yaga will continue in the fifth instalment — albeit in a way that would turn fan expectations on their head. Speaking to Empire, franchise director Chad Stahelski teased a 'really different' story for the Keanu Reeves-starring sequel, which was confirmed to be in the pipeline last month. 'The saga of John Wick was pretty wrapped up,' said the filmmaker. 'So the only way to do a [fifth film] is to have a new story that involves John Wick. It's not a continuation with the High Table. John dealt with his grief. It will be really different, and everybody [will] see the trailer and go, 'Holy f**k… I gotta see that.'' This comes amid a growing slate of Wick-verse projects, starting with the Ballerina spin-off. Releasing on 6 June, the next entry in the series follows Ana de Armas ( No Time to Die , K nives Out ) as an 'assassin trained in the traditions of the Ruska Roma organisation [who] sets out to seek revenge after her father's death' after the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 . Joining the upcoming action thriller film in expanding the world are a Caine spin-off directed by Donnie Yen, an animated prequel series focusing on Wick's exit from being a full-time assassin, and the Under the High Table TV show that picks up directly after the fourth movie. According to Stahleski, the latter two projects are 'big priorities', with the team looking to 'try some things and explore some threads and use those two properties to catapult us forward into the ideas for John Wick 5 .' John Wick 5 has no release date. Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth's theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia's greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really. Ballerina John Wick John Wick 5 lionsgate
Forbes
16-04-2025
- Forbes
Hidden Killers: Inside Ukraine's Combat Drone Statistics
Birds of Magyar is one of Ukraine's most lethal drone units, having grown rapidly from a platoon in 2022 to a full regiment at the end of 2024. Robert Brovdi, the unit's larger-than-life commander, is well aware of the power of online media and the unit publishes videos with kill statistics every month on its YouTube channel. In March they hit over 5,000 targets. Beyond the dizzying display of exploding Russian tanks, the numbers from Birds of Magyar give fascinating insight into how the drone war is conducted and what is really doing the damage. As previously noted, kill claims from drone units are carefully audited because they contribute to a points system which determines how many drones are shipped to the unit the next month, and they are considered generally accurate. In particular, the videos reveal some surprising truths about the drones being used and the breakdown between the photogenic FPVs and the rarely-seen night bombers. Known as 'Baba Yaga'' to the Russians, these heavy bombers carry bigger weapons, but their attacks are less visually impressive. Usually there is nothing to see but a burst of white and black in a thermal imager, with no indication of what the target was or how badly it was damaged (see 0:56-0;59 in video below). Birds of Magyar state that this month they expended a total of 7,874 FPV drones, accounting for 67% of the attacks. They also state that they flew 3,582 heavy bomber sorties, which would make up another 31%. These would generally drop much heavier weapons than carried by the FPVs. The remaining 2% of attack sorties were likely carried out by Mavic-type quadcopters on bomb-dropping missions. What we do not know is the breakdown of how many targets were hit by bombers compared to FPVs. OSINT analyst Andrew Perpetua, who reviews every single drone kills video coming out of Ukraine, believes that the night bombers success rate is likely much underrated. He also that their effects are indistinguishable from artillery, and they may account for the large number of destroyed vehicles which were hit by unknown weapons, Of the 5,334 targets hit 1,848 or 35% are recorded as destroyed, from 11, 601 sorties. On the crudest count then takes an average 2.2 drone sorties to damage a target and 7.1 to destroy it. However, this number is questionable value because a target can be anything from a single Russian soldier to a bunker complex. While drone videos going viral on social media show tanks or other high-profile targets getting destroyed, these are a statistical minority of all strikes. Summarizing the Magyar statistics, we find that, in March, 274 armored vehicles were hit, plus 69 artillery pieces, as well as along with 569 soft vehicles including trucks and vans. There were also 149 motorcycles. Less glamorous targets also feature. These include 174 antennas, radar and uncrewed camera systems, which can be disabled with high-precision strikes to deny communications and intelligence. But by far the largest number of strikes when on the lowest-value targets: individual Russian soldiers, and structures – buildings, trenches and bunkers. 1,701 individual Russian foot soldiers were hit, of whom 1,002 are recorded as killed (59%). These are in addition to the casualties in the thousand or so vehicle hits listed above. The full tall for March 2025, via Google translate Birds of Magyar 2,170 hits were scored on structures, of which just 125 are recorded as destroyed (6%). A small drone may kill the occupants of a building, trench or bunker without significantly damaging the structure. A thermobaric warhead, or multiple bombs from a Baba Yaga, may result in complete destruction, but this is rare as the numbers show. One thing this definitely shows is that there are more than enough drones to target every single Russian, and FPVs are frequently used to hunt down individuals on foot. Another is that armored vehicles are rarely seen. The front line is composed of Russian soldiers in trenches, so these are the main targets, followed by the trucks that supply them. What we cannot tell is how the credit can be divided between bombers and FPVs which have overlapping target sets. The big multicopters are mainly seen hitting fixed targets like defensive positions or, occasionally, parked vehicles, but occasionally chase moving targets. FPVs are effective against light mobile targets like trucks and foot soldiers. And both types can destroy armored vehicles. Hitting a building is much easier than hitting a Russian soldier running and hiding in woodland, but a hit is far more likely to kill a person on foot. The bombers operate mainly but not exclusively at night. FPVs operate mainly in the daytime, though Birds of Magyar does also have a significant number of FPVs with thermal imagers for night operations. An additional complication is that Birds of Magyar's bombers also carry out drone minelaying missions, on a large scale, carefully placing anti-tank mines on roads and tracks used by Russian vehicles. It is not clear if these are included in the general statistics. The video states that the unit lost 52 bombers during the month, and that the life cycle of each bomber is an average of 69 sorties before being shot down. This shows that Russian efforts to stop the bombers, with interceptor drones and other means, are still largely ineffective. It also means that the cost-per-sortie for a bomber costing (say) $20k is less than $300, making them competitive with FPVs. However, this may change as Russian interceptors become more common. Equally, as Ukraine explore new arming options including guided bombs and grenade and rocket launchers for the multicopters, they may become even more effective. The statistics also include the loss of 228 'Mavic' type consumer quadcopters in the month, with 10,252 reconnaissance missions flow, giving an average of 45 flights per drone. This is very much more than earlier on in the war and suggests that operators are now able to stay back and avoid Russian jamming. What we do not know is what proportion of the 7,874 FPVs succumbed to jamming and what proportion made it through to the target. Anecdotally jamming losses may be as high as 50% for some units, but Birds of Magyar are starting to deploy fiber optic FPVs which are immune to jamming, including this one which flew underground in a building used by Russian soldiers. It is also interesting to compare the Birds of Magyar statistics with the overall figures for Ukraine. In March and April, Birds of Magyar accounted for 6-10% of the total number of tanks and other armored vehicles, but only 1-2% of the amount of artillery. The Ukrainian military claim to destroy more far more artillery than armored vehicles, but for Birds of Magyar these figures are reversed. This is surprising given that Birds of Magyar have perfected their technique of destroying artillery pieces by having an FPV approach at dead slow speed and blast a hole in the gun barrel, a tactic regularly displayed in their videos. This indicates somebody else is claiming most of the artillery kills. This may be a reflection of the lack of artillery at the section of front where Birds of Magyar are fighting; or another unit with specialist equipment may be tasked with destroying artillery. Another useful data point is the figure of 200,000 FPVs produced in Ukraine per month at the start of this year, stated by Ivan Havryliuk, Deputy Minister of Defence. Assuming no stockpiling, this suggests that Birds of Magyar use around 4% of the total supply of FPVs roughly line with the proportion of the total kills claimed. Finally, comparing this month's data with previous months downs just how rapidly Birds of Magyar are increasing their kill rate. A year ago, in March 2024 the unit hit 293 targets. By December 2024 this was up to 2966, now it is over 5,000. This reflects the rapid growth of the unit and the fact that, given an increased supply of drones, they will score more hits. Scaling up FPVs production – the number per month should more than double during the course of 2025 – will directly translate into more Russian casualties and equipment destroyed. 'There are a lot of numbers but they matter,' says the video commentary. 'We have a long and fierce battle ahead.' This is certainly true. But even Russia's huge army cannot survive this sort of attrition indefinitely, and Birds of Magyar's numbers show just how well Ukraine can fight even without foreign weapons.
Forbes
03-04-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Mine Craft: Ukrainian Drones Add A New Dimension To Mine Warfare
Russian map showing locations of mines laid by drones on logistics routes around Krynky Drones have transformed mine warfare in Ukraine. Surveillance drones spy out movements behind enemy lines, and drone mine layers can leave explosives where they will do the most damage. Mines have changed up from being random hazards, to efficient precision weapons, as the Russians have discovered. The Ukrainian started mining with existing munitions, but rapid evolution has produced more capable mines which are now being made at scale. Anti-tank mines the size of a dinner plate and activated by a pressure plate, are traditional defensive weapons dating back to WW1. They are usually laid out in vast fields ahead of defensive positions, marked with barbed wire and warning signs Such minefields slow down or halt an enemy assault. Alternatively, certain areas might be mined to block them off, channeling attacks into avenues covered by anti-tank guns. TMi62 mine in the Kharkiv region Mines were buried underground for concealment, unless the minefield was laid in a hurry when might be simply placed on the surface. This made them easier to avoid but kept thew deterrent effect. The US developed scatterable mines during the Vietnam conflict in the 1960s. These are a fraction the size of traditional mines, with a magnetic sensor triggered by a vehicle passing over them. Scatterable mines were dropped by aircraft or helicopters, and later by special artillery rounds and rockets. This enabled commanders to create minefields behind enemy lines to block or channel movement or simply to cause casualties. The USSR soon fielded their own versions. Artillery-delivered scatter mines were developed in the Vietnam conflict These mines are scattered randomly. A 155mm RAAMS howitzer shell (a type supplied to Ukraine) distributes nine mines in an area two hundred metres across, giving only a small chance that a tank will hit one. Multiple rounds are needed to create a dense minefield and produce a good chance of a hit. Specialist engineering vehicles like Russia's truck-mounted UMZ system fitted with scatterable mine launchers can create instant minefields, distributing hundreds of mines out to a range of 100 meters in minutes. In Ukraine we have also seen small Uncrewed Ground Vehicles or UGVs used as minelayers. But drones take mine warfare into another dimension. The Soviet TM-62 mine, first introduced in 1960, weighs around 20 pounds including a 16-pound explosive charge. TM-62s have been laid in vast numbers by both sides. It is a simple, basic weapon which relied on brute explosive force for its effect. The TM-62 is powerful enough to destroy a tank track or blow off a wheel and immobilize it or destroy lighter vehicles. Ukraine's 'Baba Yaga' multicopter bombers started dropping modified TM-62s as bombs. Then the operators experimented with laying TM-62s as mines. They could be placed on the trails left by tracked vehicles, or on roads miles behind enemy lines, giving a very high chance of a hit. Any vehicle immobilized by a mine will be spotted by the reconnaissance drones, and bombers and FPVs dispatched to finish it off before it can be recovered Other drone operators wanted a lightweight mine which could be carried by FPVs and other small drones. They tried the PTM-1S, a scatter mine launched by Russian engineering vehicles and dropped in cluster bombs. Russian PTM-1S scatter mine At just three pounds, the PTM-1S is effective against soft-skinned vehicles but lacks the destructive power of the TM-62. OSINT analyst Roy, who has tracked the evolution of drone-laid mines, notes that the liquid explosive charge does not reliably destroy tank tracks. It is an anti-vehicle rather than anti-tank mine and seems to have fallen out of favor. 'The PTM-1S isn't seen much,' Roy told me. He notes that he has even seen Ukrainians cannibalizing the PTM-1S to make drone bombs, suggesting they did not rate it highly in its original role Last summer Ukraine's elite Birds of Magyar drone unit started placing mines on roads behinds enemy lines at night. Russian military social media lit up with warnings and reports of casualties. A Russian map showed that every segment of the 72-kilometre road network around Krynky had been mined. Logistics vehicles taking supplies to the front were being destroyed at an unprecedented rate. PTM-3 mines laid by Ukrainian drones on a track used by Russian forces The miner's preferred weapon was the ten-pound PTM-3, which is significantly bigger than the PTM-1S but has a far more effective design. Rather than simply relying on blast, this is a shaped charge weapon, Each of the four sides of the PTM-3 is a linear shaped charge which will, when detonated, cut through almost anything immediately above it, neatly severing a tank tread or severely damaging a soft vehicle. The mines were placed at night, making them difficult to spot from vehicles driving at high speed without lights because of the threat of drone attacks. Birds of Magyar were highly satisfied with their mining campaign and launched a fundraising campaign for Ukrainian-made version called PPTM. A stack of PPTM mines produced for Birds of Magyar 'It is very inexpensive with a simpler design but has a powerful C4 type explosive,' says Roy. 'The Ukrainian mines have the old Soviet fuze replaced with a 'Jonni' electronic magnetic-influence plus anti-handling gyroscope before they are dropped.' Birds of Magyar say the new mines cost just $50 each and raised funds for 20,000 of them. To make demining more challenging, the Ukrainians also produce wooden replica PPTMs which look just like the real thing. These are likely much lighter so can be mixed in with real mines. The next step of drone mine evolution came with the Ukrainian PTM-L1, a cylinder 4 inches across and two and a half inches high, and weighing about four pounds. What makes it effective is the concave metal 'lens' at each end. When the mine detonates, the lens is converted into a slug of metal moving at extremely high speed known as an Explosively Formed Penetrator (EFP) or Self-Forging Fragment (SFF). Ukrainian PTM-1L mine found by Russian forces 'A typical EFP is basically like a single hyper velocity bullet that can punch through armor and create violent spall events inside of an armored vehicle,' Brian Davies, CEO of drone munition makers Kraken Kinetics told me. Davies notes that an EFP can usually penetrate a thickness of armor equivalent to the diameter of the charge, so in this case it can punch through four inches of steel. That is more than enough to go through the belly armor even the latest Russian T-90M tank. Close inspection suggests that the PTM-L1 is a direct copy of the M70 artillery-delivered RAAMS mines supplied by the U.S. The main difference may be in the modern fuse. As a U.S. Army Manual on mine warfare explains, such mines destroy vehicles rather than just immobilize them ('M-Kill'): 'Anti-tank scatter mines are designed to produce a K-Kill instead of an M-Kill. They produce a kill by using an SFF warhead. The warhead penetrates the vehicle's belly armor, and spalling metal from the vehicle (caused by the mine blast) kills occupants instantly. Even though the crew is killed, the drive train may be undamaged and the vehicle may continue to move. On enemy tanks with autoloaders, the detonation of rounds in the belly-mounted ammunition carousel is very likely.' IEDs with EFP warheads, believed to have originated in Iran, were notably dangerous to U.S. forces in Iraq, killing some 196 troops. The PTM-L1 looks like an industrial rather than a craft product and is likely being mass produced. The M70 has an EFP lens at both ends because it lands randomly. The PTM-1L copies this, though being placed by a drone should mean that it is possible to ensure the business end is pointed towards the enemy. The next generation may be able to dispense with one lens and save weight. Aiming is still approximate, as it is triggered by a magnetic fuse, so the effects are unpredictable. 'The more accurately an EFP is aimed at vulnerable spots on an armored vehicle, that are ideally proximate to ammo stores or fuel, the better the terminal results will be,' says Davies. 'Any sort of random placement will yield a random result.' Future mines may have smart sensors for accurate aiming – and to prevent the mines being spoofed by drone minesweepers with a piece of metal on a line. Tactics are also likely to evolve. Scatter mining is inefficient because it distributes a few mines over a large area. Drone mining puts mines exactly where they are needed and can be used to block an opponent's advance or retreat, or cut their supply lines. Drones may quickly ring any static opponent with mines, penning them in. Counter-drone weapons and jammers may provide protection from direct drone attack. But as drones increase their strike range – according to TASS, Ukrainian FPVs can now reach 25 miles – so does the scope for indirect attacks by mines. In the future, drone mines will be everywhere.
