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Business Insider
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
A Ukrainian weapons maker is building a new unjammable drone with a 100-kilometer reach. It says 'the war has changed.'
A Ukrainian company is developing an unjammable fiber-optic drone that can roam nearly 100 kilometers from its operator — more than doubling the reach of current models — in a bid to radically extend the reach of one of the war's most feared weapons. The co-founder of Fold, who asked to only be identified as Volodymyr for security reasons, told Business Insider that the range upgrade is essential as Ukraine races to match a battlefield that shifts by the day and punishes anything that can't keep up. "Today, war has changed," Volodymyr said in emailed remarks. The high-value targets are farther away from the front lines than they used to be, making it imperative that drones have the reach. Fiber-optic drones are regular first-person-view (FPV) drones — small, commercially available quadcopters that can cost as little as a few hundred dollars and carry a large enough explosive payload to destroy a multimillion-dollar tank. However, instead of a radio frequency connection between the drone and its operator, fiber-optic drones are fitted with spools of long, thin cables to preserve a steady link. This makes them practically immune to electronic warfare tactics and especially dangerous in combat. For soldiers, the only real hope of stopping an unjammable drone is with a shotgun. There's a lot of luck in that kind of defense. With no reliable solutions to defend against fiber-optic drones, which can deliver precision strikes, they are emerging as a weapon of choice for Ukraine and Russia. Production is ramping up, and cables are now stretching across the battlefield, glistening in the sun like spider webs, as combat videos have shown. Fold is one of many Ukrainian companies working on fiber-optic drones for the country's armed forces. The firm started out building drones with a 5-kilometer range, but has since extended this to 15 and up to 25 kilometers — relatively standard distances. Volodymyr said this "first generation" of fiber-optic drones was more relevant last year when enemy positions were closer, sometimes even visible with the naked eye, at a distance of several kilometers. He said the front lines now look different from earlier in the conflict. Opposing troop positions have moved farther away from each other, creating a large gap — or a "gray zone" — that serves as a graveyard for tanks, armored vehicles, and soldiers. Important and expensive military equipment is harder to reach. "The flight range of 10-15 kilometers is often insufficient to destroy large enemy targets," Volodymyr said. He added that fiber-optic drones able to fly beyond 30 kilometers are more relevant at this stage in the war, and Fold is working on these kinds of drones, including some with ranges of 40 and 50 kilometers. Samuel Bendett, a drone expert and an advisor in the Russia studies program at the Center for Naval Analyses, a US research institution, told Business Insider that both Russia and Ukraine are working on 40-kilometer fiber-optic spools, noting "there is evidence at the front that such strikes are already taking place." But Fold is aiming farther than this. The company has initiated the research and development process of a second generation of fiber-optic drones, and it plans to launch drones with a range between 50 and 100 kilometers within the next few months. Bendett said "longer distances are certainly achievable," but they will depend on the skill of drone pilots and other factors. It is nearly certain, he added, that the ambitious range extensions will come with considerable technical and environmental challenges. One of the biggest vulnerabilities of fiber-optic drones is their cables, which can get easily snagged or tangled on the battlefield — either through enemy action or accident. The expanded ranges will require much longer coils than previous variants, potentially making drones more susceptible to hang-ups. An official familiar with warfighting innovations in Ukraine, who spoke to Business Insider on the condition of anonymity to discuss this technology, said that longer cables raise the risk that the drone will encounter more obstacles on its path that could damage it. The longer cables needed to satisfy the expanded range also add to the drone's weight, which could force developers to reduce the size of its combat payload, ultimately making the weapon less deadly and reducing its combat effectiveness. The official said the extended-range drones will require larger frames to support the added weight. This could drive up costs and make the drones less nimble on the battlefield. Volodymyr acknowledges the challenges in fielding this kind of technology. However, there are potential engineering workarounds, and he said the extended range will not compromise the drone's resistance to electronic warfare, the priority with this tech. "That is exactly how we made it. This was the main goal of our development (or invention)," he stressed. It's unclear whether other Ukrainian companies are trying to expand the range of their drones as far as Fold hopes, but fiber-optic drone manufacturing continues to be a major focus of Kyiv's defense industry as cheap, uncrewed aerial systems prove their unrelenting dominance on the battlefield. "Conventional small arms are no longer as relevant as they were in the past," Volodymyr said. "Shooting from rifles and machine guns is often useless. The bullets simply do not reach the enemy." Fiber-optic drones "play a very important role in eliminating attacks (assaults)," he said, referring to Russian mechanized infantry and armored assaults on Ukrainian posts. "They destroy enemy armored vehicles and personnel on distant approaches — tens of kilometers from the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, where small arms cannot reach."
Forbes
16-07-2025
- Forbes
How The Marine Corps Is Preparing For Drone Wars — And What's Missing
U.S, Marines prepare to launch a drone in an exercise at Camp Pendleton in June 2025. A new 1st Marine Division handbook shows how the Corps has modernized its thinking and is preparing to fight a drone war. It also reveals how far there is to go, not just in developing doctrine and training but also in acquiring the sort of hardware that Russia and Ukraine have been using for years. As a representative explained, getting the handbook out to establish foundational principles and mark out the way forward was vital even though is not complete. And taking on the new realities of the drone battlefield is a real milestone. 'Overall, this is indeed a big leap forward for the USMC,' Samuel Bendett, an expert on drones and advisor to the CNA, CNAS and CAIS thinktanks told me. 'The United States military has taken some time to observe, evaluate and attempt to codify tactics and concepts.' Running With The Fist Draft The 1st Marine Division Schools sUAS / CUAS Integration Handbook is a 90-page guide to drone and counter-drone warfare. This is not quite the first of its type; technically it updates and adds to a previous document published by 1st Marine Division in 2023, partly as a result of development of the units own training courses. The handbook breaks new ground in U.S. small drone warfare 'This handbook is now the result of many contributions from beyond 1st Marine Division, and represents some of the current best thinking on how to fight with sUAS [small Uncrewed Aerial Systems] as part of a combined-arms force that achieves decision on today's battlefields,' a representative of 1st Marine Division told me. As might be expected, it one draws on learnings from Ukraine, and is still a work in progress. 'When we decided to take what had been a running draft document and publish it as a first edition, we didn't put a 'Conclusion' at the end—because the only thing to conclude right now is that there is much more work to be done,' says the representative. 'Instead, we put a 'Way Ahead' section that highlights what we think are the next priorities for tactical development.' The document is written in the dense, acronym-rich jargon common to military handbooks, and there is plenty of solid material. It describes in detail the various drone missions from RSTA ('Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition') to One-Way Strike (the familiar FPV drones from Ukraine) and Two-Way Strike (bomber drones that return for reuse), as well as logistics. It describes how these drones give units their own air power, undertaking missions which would previously have required air support. 'GCE sUAS [i.e. drones operated by ground units] will almost certainly fulfill a large portion of previous requirements for manned aviation close air support,' says the handbook. Even simple-seeming drone operations can require complex organization and an understanding of the ... More different roles involved Unlike in Ukraine the drones will need to operate in the same airspace as close support aircraft and helicopters. In that conflict combat aircraft stay well behind the front lines and lob rockets glide bombs from long range. New approaches are needed, and the handbook goes into detail describing the mechanics of 'hot walls', 'pizza slices' and 'kill boxes' which ensure that uncrewed aircraft do not present a hazard to friendly ground forces or aircraft. The handbook also covers aspects like ground checks and the '5-line Attack-Drone Strike Brief' a standardized format for requesting drone strikes, drawing on previous protocols for calling strikes from attack aircraft and helicopter gunships. The Handbook is also notable though for what is not in it. The Missing Pieces The chapter on two-way attack drones notes that 'The Marine Corps currently lacks dedicated systems of this type, and employment TTPs [Tactics, techniques and Procedures] remain nascent.' Ukraine has been using bomber drones, nicknamed Baba Yagas buy the Russians, for more than three years, knocking out tanks and fortifications in night attacks, as well as commercial drones modified to drop grenades. The R80 Skyraider adapted for bombing with SPAM-A attachment, in this case loaded with smoke ... More grenades The Marine Corps lacks such assets, so instead the Handbook goes on to describe how the R80D SkyRaider scout drone can be modified for bombing with the SkyRaider Payload and Marking Attachment (SPAM-A), a 3D-printed gadget attached to the drone's legs with zip ties. SPAM-A has five cylinders with trap doors. Each cylinder can be loaded with a water balloon, tennis ball or flash bang. For live operations grenades are used, a potentially hazardous process. 'Fragmentation grenades should be loaded upright to enable careful manipulation of safety mechanisms,' says the Handbook. 'Once all grenades are loaded into their cylinders, then for each grenade: remove the pin and observe to ensure the spoon is retained in place by the cylinder. In the remote chance that the spoon is not retained, take immediate cover in the parapet as the grenade will now detonate.' (My emphasis) Even when the device is correctly loaded there may be issues when trying to drop grenades. 'If any munitions fail to fall on release, the sUAS operator will attempt to dislodge them by making small, quick, repeated adjustments to the system's hovering location. If any munitions still fail to release, the operator will land the sUAS either at a pre-established "ditch" location or at its original takeoff point.' The drone with its live, loose grenade needs to be handled by an explosive ordnance disposal tech. That they are so eager to work with such improvised systems while awaiting a proper issue is an indication of just how gung-ho the Marines are to get ahead in drone warfare. The Marines already have small numbers of Neros Archer FPV attack drones The Handbook also mentions the NEROS Archer, a U.S.-made FPV attack drone, one of the types they have fielded. Thousands have been produced for Ukraine, and the Marine Corps has acquired a batch of these 'One-Way Attack Drones.' Two were featured in Pete Hegseth's recent video unleashing U.S. drone power. But there is no guidance on using them yet. 'This handbook is missing a chapter on one-way attack drone operations…While the Marine Corps Tactics and Operations Group (MCTOG) is currently preparing a technical pamphlet on this topic, 1st Marine Division units also require further specification of attack profiles against various targets, target correlation techniques, and specific integration methods for other fires, EW, and maneuver to achieve combined and simultaneous effects. ' Marines operate drones at Camp Pendleton June 2025. Bendett notes that the Marines have not yet had time to work out tactics and that a new team was stood up earlier this year to specifically train Marines in FPV and tactical drones uses and applications. Similarly, the Handbook notes the lack of chapters on Weaponeering (drone weapons and how to use them) and the electromagnetic spectrum. The missing sections are likely to be added soon. 'The Marine Corps Attack Drone Team in Quantico, Virginia is writing the chapters on one-way attack drone employment and weaponeering considerations, and we look forward to including what they develop in future editions of this handbook,' the representative told me. Following The Money There is also the question of when the Marine Corps will get significant quantities of drone hardware, including dedicated heavy bomber types. The bad news is that the budget released last week shows small drone procurement for the Corps significantly down in FY2026. That looks like a lack of support on on high. But that is not the whole story. A Marine lands a scout drone ar Camp Pendleton on Friday, June 6, 2025. 'Due to internal service priorities in a fiscally constrained environment, the Marine Corps' investment in the small UAS program of record was reduced from $101 million in FY2025 to $82 million in the FY26 Presidential Budget request,' the representative told me. 'However, The Marine Corps received a little over $153M in our FY26 Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDTEN) account to support UAS and one-way attack munitions. This increases drone funding to $235M which more than doubles our investment over FY25.' (My emphasis) In practice, the Marine Corps will field both one- and two-way attack drones by the end of this year, and training is set to expand rapidly. And the handbook, is very much open to revision, criticism and modification with the goal of creating a more complete and useful version. Getting it out now, rather than waiting for it to be perfected, is a deliberate move. 'Ultimately, we're all after the same thing: Enhance the capabilities of the warfighter on the ground. If we've got the wrong idea about something, we want to hear it now,' says the spokesman. 'The way we approach this is, it's infinitely better for a few authors to draw well-landed critiques now, in peacetime, than for our Marines to suffer the unforgivable consequences of bad tactical guidance later, when it matters.'
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine Situation Report: Russian Navy Creating New Drone Regiments In Wake Of Enemy Successes
In the wake of the success of Ukraine's drone boat campaign against it, the Russian Navy is developing dedicated regiments to operate uncrewed surface, undersea, air and land systems. The plan is much-needed and long overdue, a retired Russian Navy officer told The War Zone. 'The new units, which will be formed in all fleets, will perform reconnaissance and strike functions,' the official Russian Izvestia news outlet reported on Tuesday. 'According to experts, combining different types of drones will allow for effective reconnaissance, surveillance, and destruction of sea and coastal targets.' Russian media reports that unmanned systems regiments are being created within the Russian Navy, and will include air, land and maraitime robotic systems. The new units, which will be formed in all Russian naval fleets, will perform reconnaissance and strike functions.… — Samuel Bendett (@sambendett) May 13, 2025 There will be at least five of these regiments, military expert Dmitry Boltenkov told Izvestia. 'Three will be part of the fleets based in the European part of Russia, and two will be for the Pacific Fleet,' Boltenkov explained. 'There is a very large distance between Primorsky Krai and Kamchatka, and two regiments may be needed to control such remote regions.' The Caspian and Dnieper flotillas may also receive the same units, Boltnekov suggested. 'The regiments will be armed with medium- and long-range devices – these are Orlans, Forposts, Lancet loitering munitions and more serious machines. FPV drones that solve tactical problems are logical to include in the units of water areas,' Boltnekov said. 'Unmanned boats (USVs) will also be responsible for monitoring the water area, reconnaissance, mine countermeasures, anti-submarine defense, and, if necessary, striking the enemy.' Ukraine's use of USVs has also prompted the Russian Navy to create a course of study on these systems in the curriculum of its higher educational institutions. 'Now all cadets study the structure and characteristics of drones of various types and their use,' Izvestia pointed out. 'In the future, they will master the combat use of attack drones to destroy enemy UAVs, unmanned boats and saboteurs. Classes are taught by teachers who have experience working with drones in combat zones.' 'Units where robotic equipment will become the main type of weapon will operate an order of magnitude more effectively than those equipped with traditional equipment,' former deputy commander of the Pacific Fleet for armament, retired Rear Admiral Igor Korolev, told Izvestia. 'New equipment must be systematically used, studied, applied — and they will do this, without being afraid to understand the problems.' This is a positive, but overly delayed development, a retired Russian Navy officer who uses the @Capt_Navy X handle told The War Zone. 'This is a good idea and I hope it will be implemented,' @Capt_Navy X noted. 'The creation of a separate unit will allow for better planning of its logistical support and combat use.' As we have frequently reported, the Ukrainian development of USVs as weapons has destroyed several Russian vessels and aircraft, helping keep the Black Sea Fleet largely at bay. That lesson isn't lost on @Capt_navy. 'Action creates counteraction,' he stated. 'This should have been done at least a year ago.' Russia's new Navy drone regiment plan is raising concerns in Kyiv. 'If it is true, some difficulties would be raised to the Ukrainian forces,' a retired high-ranking Ukrainian officer told us. 'There will be possibility to see more tensions and actions in Black Sea.' 'For now, the Russians don't have much to deter, prevent or disturb our maritime drone operations,' the retired officer added. 'They are trying to deter our sea drones operations by using areal assets, not maritime. With introduction of a naval drone command and having appropriate assets they could be more effective in countering our intentions, and create more difficulties in planning and conducting operations.' On the battlefield, the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk continues to see the heaviest fighting, however, battles are raging across the 600 miles of front lines as well as the Russian regions of Kursk and Belgorod. Here are the key takeaways from the latest Institute for the Study of War (ISW) assessment: Belgorod: A Russian milblogger claimed on May 12 that Russian forces repelled a Ukrainian attack near Popovka (northwest of Belgorod City). Kursk: The Ukrainian General Staff reported on May 12 that Russian forces conducted ground attacks in unspecified areas of Kursk Oblast while Russian milbloggers claimed that Ukrainian forces attacked near Tetkino and Novyi Put (both southwest of Glushkovo). Sumy: Fighting continued along the international border in Sumy Oblast near Bilovody (north of Sumy City) on May 12 with no discernible gains or losses by either side. Kharkiv: Russian forces continued offensive operations northeast of Kharkiv City on May 12 but did not advance. Luhansk: Russian forces continued offensive operations in the Borova, Lyman and Kupyansk directions on May 12 but did not advance. Donetsk: Russian forces recently advanced in the Novopavlivka and Pokrovsk directions. They continued offensive operations in the Chasiv Yar, Kurakhove, Siversk and Velyka Novosilka directions on May 12 but did not advance. Zaphorizhzhia: Russian forces continued offensive operations in western Zaporizhia Oblast on May 12 but did not advance. Kherson: Russian forces conducted limited offensive operations in the Kherson direction on May 11 and 12 but did not advance. NEW: Russian officials appear to be setting conditions for Russian President Vladimir Putin to reject Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's invitation to meet on May 15 in Istanbul for bilateral ceasefire negotiations. (1/2)Russia has reportedly deployed a largely… — Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) May 12, 2025 While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he would come to Turkey for potential peace negotiations, and U.S. President Donald Trump hinted that he might, Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to commit and will likely not attend. 'The Kremlin has so far refused to say whether Putin – or anyone else – would travel to Turkey on Thursday, even though it was the Russian leader who initially proposed the talks,' CNN reported on Tuesday. 'Putin suggested the summit in response to the ceasefire-or-sanctions ultimatum given to Moscow by Ukraine's European allies on Saturday.' Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday that Putin would announce his decision in due course. 'As soon as the president considers it necessary, we will announce it,' Peskov said. Zelensky 'will not meet with any other Russian representative in Istanbul, except Putin,' Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak told Reuters. The Office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that he will only travel to Istanbul on Thursday to meet directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin, not any other high-ranking Russian official, adding that a meeting with anyone other than Putin would be… — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) May 13, 2025 'Ukraine has always supported diplomacy. I am ready to come to Türkiye,' Zelensky proclaimed on X. 'Unfortunately, the world still has not received a clear response from Russia to the numerous proposals for a ceasefire. Russian shelling and assaults continue. Moscow has remained silent all day regarding the proposal for a direct meeting. A very strange silence.' 'One way or another, ' he added, 'Russia will have to end this war — and the sooner, the better. There is no sense in continuing the killing. President Erdoğan has expressed full readiness to host the meeting. It is important that President Trump fully supports the meeting, and we would like him to find an opportunity to come to Türkiye.' Ukraine has always supported diplomacy. I am ready to come to Türkiye. Unfortunately, the world still has not received a clear response from Russia to the numerous proposals for a shelling and assaults continue. Moscow has remained silent all day regarding the… — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 12, 2025 Ukrainian officials are painting Putin's reticence as a sign he is not interested in ending the war. 'If Vladimir Putin refuses to come to Turkey, it will be the final signal that Russia does not want to end this war, that Russia is not willing and not ready for any negotiations,' Zelensky's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said. While Trump has suggested he might attend peace talks in Turkey, it is unclear at the moment if he will. Top Trump administration officials plan to be in Turkey this week, however, his attendance may largely be dictated by whether his Russian counterpart attends, a senior administration official told CNN. The U.S. president is visiting the Gulf this week, making stops in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, for his first major overseas trip since the start of his second term, the network noted. Trump said he could detour to Turkey 'if I thought it would be helpful.' 'I think you may have a good result out of the Thursday meeting in Turkey between Russia and Ukraine,' Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday. 'I don't know where I'm going to be on Thursday, I've got so many meetings, but I was thinking about actually flying over there. There's a possibility of it, I guess, if I think things can happen.' Trump could join Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Turkey via @FT — Sir William Browder KCMG (@Billbrowder) May 13, 2025 Putin on Saturday proposed direct talks with Ukraine, after ignoring a Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire, Reuters reported. Trump then publicly told Zelensky to accept. 'President Putin of Russia doesn't want to have a Cease Fire Agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the BLOODBATH,' Trump said Sunday on his Truth Social network. 'Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY. At least they will be able to determine whether or not a deal is possible, and if it is not, European leaders, and the U.S., will know where everything stands, and can proceed accordingly! I'm starting to doubt that Ukraine will make a deal with Putin, who's too busy celebrating the Victory of World War ll, which could not have been won (not even close!) without the United States of America. HAVE THE MEETING, NOW!!!' Ukrainian intelligence officials are also questioning Russia's intentions for ending the war. They 'told the Financial Times that Russia appears to be gearing up for a larger offensive, moving forces to key hotspots on the battlefield, rather than signalling its readiness for peace talks.' 'Ukrainian intelligence officials told the Financial Times that Russia appears to be gearing up for a larger offensive, moving forces to key hotspots on the battlefield, rather than signalling its readiness for peace talks.' @ChristopherJM @polinaivanovva @laurapitel… — Rob Lee (@RALee85) May 13, 2025 In the background of the Turkey talks, the U.K. has postponed further measures against Russia that were due to be announced on Monday, The Guardian reported. 'However, the EU is continuing with its plans for another package of sanctions later this month,' the publication noted. 'A German government spokesperson said on Monday that the EU would begin working on the sanctions if there was not a ceasefire by the end of the day. But extra US action would be a gamechanger and the Republican senator Lindsey Graham has prepared a sanctions package that has broad congressional support.' Peskov was dismissive of those efforts. Peskov commented on Europe's statement to impose new sanctions if Moscow does not declare a ceasefire today:"Before this warning, we had already heard the warning the day before yesterday, if you remember. They were also voiced in a rather ultimatum form. Such ultimatum… — Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) May 12, 2025 China says it supports all efforts aimed at a political settlement of what it calls the 'Ukrainian crisis,' including the 30-day ceasefire proposed by Ukraine, its European partners and the United States. 'Regarding the Ukrainian crisis, China's position is consistent and clear. We believe that all efforts should be aimed at achieving peace,' Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told the Ukrainian Ukrinform news outlet. According to Lin, Beijing hopes that the parties to the conflict will be able to continue dialogue and negotiations to reach a fair, long-term and binding peace agreement acceptable to all parties, and ultimately achieve a political settlement of the crisis. Ukrinform added. China supports the 30-day ceasefire proposed by Ukraine, Europe, and the United States, — Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian. — MilitaryNewsUA (@front_ukrainian) May 12, 2025 Allies in Europe have collectively given about half of the estimated $130 billion in military support provided to Ukraine since Russia invaded in 2022, The New York Times reported. The United States sent the rest. On Friday, a congressional official told the Times that the United States had approved Germany's transfer of 125 long-range artillery rockets and 100 Patriot air-defense missiles to Ukraine. The critically needed weapons are made in the United States and cannot be exported — even if another country owns them — without American government approval. While European leaders and investors appear willing to pump more money into weapons production, industry executives and experts predict it will take a decade to get assembly lines up to speed. 'Europe is trying to replace the assistance that we lost from the United States, but unfortunately, they don't have the capacity to do this,' Yehor Chernev, the deputy chair of the Ukrainian parliament's committee on national security, defense and intelligence, told the publication. 'It takes time between the decision and the real assistance.' According to a congressional official who spoke to the New York Times, the United States has approved the transfer of 125 long-range artillery rockets, likely including M31 GMLRS for use by the Ukrainian Armed Force's M270 and M142 HIMARS, as well as 100 'Patriot' air-defense… — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) May 12, 2025 The European Union will allocate an additional €900 million ($998 million) from frozen Russian assets for the purchase of weapons and ammunition for Ukraine, Charles Fries, Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service, said during the opening of the second Ukraine–EU Defence Industry Forum. The move will increase the EU's recent total support for Ukraine's defence industry to €3.3 billion ($3.66 billion), he added. EU to allocate €900 million from frozen Russian assets for the purchase of weapons and ammunition for Ukraine — EU External Action Service Deputy Secretary General Fries"In total, the EU has allocated €3.3 billion to support Ukraine and its defense industry," he said. — MilitaryNewsUA (@front_ukrainian) May 12, 2025 Iran is preparing to soon deliver launchers for short-range ballistic missiles that the U.S. said Tehran sent to Russia last year for use against Ukraine, Reuters reported, citing two Western security officials and a regional official. Delivery of the Fath-360 launchers -with a range of about 75 miles – would help support Russia's grinding assault on its neighbor and reaffirm the deepening security ties between Moscow and Tehran. The U.S. last September said that Iran delivered the missiles to Russia on nine Russian-flagged ships – which it sanctioned – and three sources told Reuters at that time that the launchers were not included. Iran's permanent mission to the United Nations dismissed what it called 'baseless allegations' against Tehran. 'So long as conflict persists between the parties, Iran will abstain from rendering any form of military assistance to either side,' it told the wire service in an emailed statement. We raised the issue of Iran supplying launchers back in 2022, but that never transpired. Having Iranian launchers would give Russia additional mobility for these missiles, while being fairly easy to maintain and operate, and would not have to be deeply integrated with Russian vehicles. 'Iran is preparing to deliver in the near future launchers for short-range ballistic missiles that the U.S. said Tehran sent to Russia last year for use against Ukraine, according to two Western security officials and a regional delivery of the Fath-360 launchers -… — Rob Lee (@RALee85) May 9, 2025 As part of an effort to condemn Iran for contributing to conflicts the world over, a Shahed-136 drone was recently displayed in the U.S. Capitol. The Iranian-made drone, which has been used to devastating effect by Russia, was captured in Ukraine and brought to the United States via Poland, according to the Kyiv Post. 'The weapon was displayed during an event inside the U.S. Congress's Cannon Office Building organized by United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), a nonprofit organization that focuses on countering threats posed by the Islamic regime, including its nuclear program and military actions,' the publication noted. Downed Russian Shahed-136 attack drone in the US Capitol today as lawmakers push for harder sanctions on the original manufacturer, and key Russian backer; Iran. — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) May 8, 2025 The prominent Russian nationalist ex-militia commander Igor Girkin (also known as Strelkov), a now jailed former FSB agent, again blasted Putin and Russia's military leadership for failing to properly prepare for war. Igor Girkin (Strelkov), in his letters, continues to harshly criticize the authorities and President Putin personally for their failure to prepare the country for war, the collapse of military modernization, and their belief in the possibility of reaching agreements with the… — WarTranslated (@wartranslated) May 13, 2025 The absolute horror of modern war is captured in the terrifying, piercing whine of Ukrainian drones attacking a Russian trench. 'Several of our dugouts were burned. I passed by – I saw these pits filled with ash and burnt metal. Now we are huddled in other places, not so comfortable and, literally, almost on top of each other,' the Russian Groundhog Day Telegram channel reported. 'Several people were buried under the thickness of the earth during this time and only three survived and dug out … If someone could predict the weather – maybe there would be no yesterday. Three of us went for food in the morning – two returned in the evening, one of us had his spine damaged by shrapnel. The most offensive thing is an accidental short-range, an accidental shrapnel that flew under a bulletproof vest … And an hour and a half of hell for all of us – to pull out, provide assistance, wait for evacuation and hide, hide, hide from the omnipresent eyes of the enemy. To shrink into a green lump soaked in adrenaline in the bushes under the nasty ringing of kamikaze drones screwing into your ears…' 1/ The screech of drones (sound on) has become the defining sound of the Russia-Ukraine war. Two Russian commentaries describe what it's like in an environment where, according to Russian sources, Ukrainian drones outnumber Russian by seven to one. — ChrisO_wiki (@ChrisO_wiki) May 12, 2025 The value of donated U.S. armor was again proven on the battlefield. The crew of a Ukrainian M113 armored personnel carrier (APC) explained how they were saved in one despite being hit by a Russian RPG. Of the more than 900 of these APCs provided by the U.S., Ukraine has lost at least 337, according to the Oryx open source tracking group. There were at least 238 destroyed, 11 damaged, 50 damaged and abandoned and 38 captured. Those figures could be higher because Oryx only tabulates losses for which it has visual identification. The aftermath of an RPG hit on an M113. The Ukrainian crew was extremely lucky. — WarTranslated (@wartranslated) May 12, 2025 A Ukrainian drone strike has destroyed a newly built workshop at the Scheglovsky Val plant in Tula, Russia, a facility known for manufacturing the Pantsir-S1 air defense system. The strike took place on May 7, according to the open-source intelligence community CyberBoroshno. Satellite imagery reviewed by the group reportedly showed that the workshop, completed in March as part of the plant's production expansion, was destroyed. On May 7, a UAV(?) attack destroyed a newly constructed facility at the Shcheglovsky Val plant, which was only completed in March of this facility produces key Russian weapons systems, such as the Pantsir-S/S1 SAM, the Bakhcha-U and Berezhok combat modules, and… — MilitaryNewsUA (@front_ukrainian) May 11, 2025 Ukraine took another step in the ever-evolving drone war, attaching a so-called cope cage to one of its drones to protect against Russian first-person view (FPV) drones. The following video shows a Ukrainian drone kitted out with a metal mesh square on top designed to defeat Russian FPV interceptors. It is unclear from the video whether this has provided the desired protection. It was… 'inetvitable'A Ukrainian drone with a cage to protect itself from Russian FPV interceptors. — CJ (@CasualArtyFan) May 13, 2025 The Ukrainian Wild Hornets drone developers claimed 'the first combat use of a drone with a grenade launcher in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.' 'Pilots of the BULAVA unit from the B. Khmelnytsky Independent Brigade installed a Hornet grenade launcher on the Korolev drone and successfully used it against enemy infantry,' the group claimed on Telegram. Wild Hornets published a video purporting to show successful attacks against Russian forces. The first combat use of a Ukrainian drone with a grenade launcher against Russian infantry. — MilitaryNewsUA (@front_ukrainian) May 13, 2025 Images emerged on social media of what Russian sources claim is a new Ukrainian long-range attack drone, dubbed the FP-1. 'The experts studied UAV wreckage that was found after recent massive attacks on Russian territories,' the Russian Paratrooper's Diary Telegram channel stated. 'Most of the components of the attack drone are from foreign suppliers, so during the initial inspection, it was discovered that the manufacturer indicated on the engines is Germany.' 'The warhead weighing 60-120 kg (130 to 260 pounds) mainly consists of OFB-60-UYa, KZ-6 and TNT blocks,' the Telegram channel claimed. 'The flight range of this drone is up to 1,600 km (about 994 miles).' Russian base in Luhansk was targeted today by FP-1 drones. According to Russian sources, three Ukrainian fixed-wing strike UAVs targeted an asphalt concrete plant in Luhansk. The area has reportedly been attacked multiple times before, as it is believed that Russian forces are… — Special Kherson Cat (@bayraktar_1love) May 13, 2025 The Ukrainian Defense Ministry (MoD) released video it says showed one of its first-person view (FPV) drones flying into a hangar full of Russian armor. The MoD claims that it destroyed $4 million worth of equipment, including a T-72 tank and a BMD-2 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV). The War Zone cannot verify the full extent of that claim based on what is seen on the video. Ukrainian warriors destroyed a hangar with russian armored equipment worth $4 million. Among the burned targets—a T-72 tank and a BMD-2 IFV. : 225th Assault Regiment — Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) May 12, 2025 The MoD also released a video of its troops preparing one of its long-range AN-196 Liuty drones for a mission. Dubbed the 'Ukrainian Shahed, the Liuty is equipped with a 75-kilogram (about 165 pounds) warhead with a range of more than 1,000 km (about 620 miles). Ukrainian 'Lutyi' kamikaze drones being prepped for a combat mission. — Special Kherson Cat (@bayraktar_1love) May 13, 2025 Russia continues its struggle to produce 'heavy' bomber drones at scale, so individual units are fashioning their own. The following video shows one McGuyvered out of several first-person view (FPV) drones.A Russian 'Vobla' improvised heavy drone is has failed to deliver equivalents of Ukraine's 'Baba Yaga' drones, so Russian units desperate for heavy lift have resorted to building their own using FPVs as motors. — Roy (@GrandpaRoy2) May 12, 2025 A Russian S-400 surface-to-air (SAM) air defense system's radar on Crimea was damaged in an April 25 Ukrainian drone attack, according to the Russian Spy Dossier Telegram channel. The attack took place near the village of Saki. Spy Dossier posted images of the damaged radar, which you can see below. You can see a Russian Msta-S self-propelled 152mm howitzer absolutely destroyed by a Ukrainian FPV drone in the following video. Russia has lost at least 124 of these vehicles, according to Oryx. At least 73 were destroyed, 15 damaged, one damaged and abandoned and 35 captured by Ukrainian forces. Say goodbye to Russia's Msta-S — Special Kherson Cat (@bayraktar_1love) May 6, 2025 While drones are ubiquitous weapons of war for both sides, Ukraine has done a better job of streamlining its efforts, the Russian Evil Sailor Telegram channel bemoaned. 'The enemy divides pilots in their squads by functionality: kamikazes, miners, repeaters, reconnaissance, bombers, wing hunters, fighters, etc. We also have such pilots, but the non-brothers are one step ahead,' Evil Sailor posited. '…Observing the skies of war with my [electronic warfare] EW eyes, I come to the conclusion that the enemy has a much better organization of UAV operations.' Russian blogger 'Evil Sailor' believes that Ukraine is much better organized for drone warfare.'AND WE HAVE TRAFFIC JAMS IN THE AIR!The number of FPVs in the sky, on both sides, is only enemy divides pilots in their squads by functionality: …1/ — Roy (@GrandpaRoy2) May 12, 2025 U.K. officials say that Ukraine has downed nearly 300 Russian Shahed-136 drones with the Raven surface-to-air missile system. The Raven is a so-called FrankenSAM system, cobbled together using existing vehicles and launchers and aerial munitions. Though we didn't have the name at the time, we first wrote about this system in 2023. Raven 'is based around a Supercat HMT 600 all-terrain vehicle – the same platform used for the British Army's Coyote,' according to the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS). 'On the back engineers mounted a missile launcher, fitted with rails taken from retired RAF Tornado, Hawk and Jaguar jets.' Those rails 'enable the system to fire ASRAAMs – Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air missiles – the infra-red guided weapons usually fitted to British fighter jets like the Typhoon and F-35 for use in dogfights,' BFBS reported. 'The UK has sent hundreds of ASRAAMs to Ukraine, mostly missiles that are nearing the end of their shelf life.' Since it was first sent in early 2023, 'Raven has been fired 400 times by Ukrainian forces, mainly against the waves of Iranian-designed Shahed 136 one-way drones that Russia has launched with devastating effect against Ukrainian cities,' BFBS explained. 'Ukraine claims it has a 70 per cent success rate, and the MOD says there are now plans to send an additional five systems to Ukraine, to bolster the eight Britain has already supplied.' The UK has officially revealed the Raven SAM system supplied to Ukraine, a low-cost mobile ASRAAM launcher that has downed nearly 300 Russian drones.'We went from a concept to a capability in 3 months.' Ukraine has received 8 units, with 5 more on the way. — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) May 10, 2025 Newly released image showing 5 new UK-built Raven SAM systems ready for delivery to vehicles will be supplied over the next few weeks, nearly doubling Ukraine's fleet of the low-cost, ASRAAM slinging launchers. — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) May 10, 2025 And finally, The U.K. has banned the export of video game controllers to Russia, claiming the devices are being repurposed to pilot drones on the front lines in Ukraine, C4ISR reported. 'The new trade restriction comes alongside a list of other items now immediately prohibited for export to Russia, including software for oil exploitation, specific chemicals and a range of electronic devices,' the outlet explained. 'A total of about 150 new line items were added to the already extensive list of British export prohibitions.' 'Gaming consoles will no longer be repurposed to kill in Ukraine,' said Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty of the new list's most headline-grabbing item. The goal is to reduce Russia's strike capabilities. The UK banned sending game controllers to Russia. What's the point? — C4ISRNET (@C4ISRNET) May 11, 2025 That's it for now. Contact the author: howard@
