Ukraine has introduced unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) capable of launching aerial drones, marking a new chapter in robotic combat operations, The Telegraph reports.
The Ukrainian navy’s $250,000 unmanned vessels, which have already cost Russia one-third of its Black Sea Fleet through previous operations, now demonstrate an enhanced capability by carrying and launching their own explosive-laden aerial drones, extending their reach from sea to land targets and showcasing a potential future of multi-layered robotic warfare.
The innovative system made its combat debut last month during a Ukrainian navy raid on Russian-occupied oil platforms in the Black Sea. These 18-foot drone boats had multiple first-person-view (FPV) unmanned aerial vehicles, each carrying explosive payloads.
“The FPV drones, each weighing just a few pounds and ranging five miles or so, lend the robotic boats their first land-attack capability,” according to the report.
The system demonstrated its effectiveness when the deployed UAVs successfully struck Russian surveillance equipment and personnel on the platforms.
The Ukrainian navy has continued to refine this capability, with subsequent strikes on January 6 and 8 targeting Russian air-defense vehicles along the Crimean coast, resulting in at least three destroyed vehicles.
This development is part of Ukraine’s broader maritime strategy, which has already proven effective against the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Previous USV operations have resulted in the sinking of multiple Russian vessels, including a corvette, a landing ship, a patrol boat, and a tugboat, while also damaging the strategic Kerch bridge.
The evolution of these vessels has been rapid, with recent additions including defensive armaments such as guns and anti-aircraft missiles. In a historic first, a Ukrainian USV successfully shot down a Russian helicopter around New Year’s Eve.
Looking ahead, Ukrainian forces are exploring even more advanced configurations. Having already demonstrated the capability to launch drones from aerial “mothership” drones, they may soon deploy this technology from their USVs, creating what could be described as a “drone drone carrier carrier.”
These innovative drone carriers represent a cost-effective solution to maintain maritime combat capabilities for Ukraine, which has limited access to traditional naval assets due to the closure of the Bosporus strait to warships. Despite high loss rates to Russian defenses, the successful operations of these vessels have contributed to the Russian Black Sea Fleet losing approximately one-third of its pre-war ships over nearly three years of conflict.
Read more:
- Ukraine enhances strike capabilities with FPV drone carriers as naval warfare intensifies
- Ukrainian maritime drones destroy two Russian helicopters near Crimea for the first time ever
- Ukraine’s new Poseidon drones operate beyond Russian air defense range
