- Ukrainian troops released imagery of a specially modified truck launcher for Fire Point attack drones
- A few days later, Russian troops released imagery of an attack on one of the launchers
- The two releases may be related
On 30 May, Ukrainian forces released nighttime imagery of a drone team launching Fire Point FP-1/2 one-way attack drones from a civilian-style tractor-trailer truck modified to carry at least three of the fixed-wing, rocket-assisted drones on metal racks.
Four days later on 3 June, Russian forces released daytime imagery of a drone strike on one of these Ukrainian truck launchers. The Russian drone scored a direct hit. The Ukrainian truck exploded.
It's not totally clear when the Russian strike took place. That is to say, it's not clear the Russians knew to look for the Ukrainian truck launcher because of the 30 May imagery. But the apparent sequence of events, a revealing image of a special Ukrainian capability followed by a Russian attack on the same capability, is sure to raise eyebrows.
Did Ukrainian troops unnecessarily give away the details of their truck launcher?
The $50,000 FP-1/2 family is a mainstay of the Ukrainian deep strike campaign, and includes both pre-programmed and operator-guided variants. Ukrainian drone-maker Fire Point reportedly churns out thousands of the FP-1/2s every month. And every month, Ukrainian drone units launch the propeller-driven drones at Russian air defenses, headquarters, drone bases and warships.
The FP-1 motors as far as 1,000 km with a 100-kg warhead. The FP-2 trades away fuel in order to carry a 160-kg warhead, and as a consequence ranges just 200 km. Both variants launch without a runway, boosting into the air thanks to a quick-burning rocket that jettisons after a few seconds.
Rocket-assisted launch opens up all kinds of non-traditional operational models. Drone teams can launch FP-1/2 from any roadside or field. To stay mobile and unpredictable and complicate Russian effort to strike the launchers, the Ukrainians launch at least some of their FP-1/2s from the modified civilian-style tractor-trailers that they revealed in that May imagery. The trailers open along the side, revealing at least three FP-1/2s on cradles.
To launch an FP-1/2, usually under the cover of darkness, operators first spin up the drone's two-cylinder engine. Then they trigger the underslung rocket that boosts the drone to cruising speed before falling off.
Mobile launchers
It was always apparent that FP-1/2 launch teams traveled in trucks. After all, most drone launch teams on both sides of Russia's 52-month wider war on Ukraine travel in trucks. In that sense, the new imagery of the truck launcher revealed nothing new.
The new information was the trailer's exact appearance. That's a possible security breach because both sides in the wider war deploy AI-assisted drones that can be trained to autonomously spot and strike certain targets. Coders feed the drones' algorithm with images of preferred targets. The more clear images, the more accurate the targeting.
In this sense, the May reveal of the FP-1/2 launcher represented an unnecessary risk for the Ukrainians. Even if the Russians already knew the FP-1/2 teams traveled in a certain type of civilian-style truck, they need a certain volume of imagery in order to train their AI drones to hit the trucks. The May reveal could only help the Russians and hurt the Ukrainians.
To be sure, the Russians are increasingly motivated to hunt Ukrainian teams before they can launch their drones. Russian air defenses are collapsing under the pressure of relentless drone strikes, leaving more Russian troops, bases and supply convoys—and yes, any surviving air defenses—exposed to drone attack.
Striking the launchers can be difficult, however, especially when the launchers are mobile, indistinct and mostly travel at night. Even after the 30 May reveal and the 3 June strike, Ukrainian FP-1/2 launch teams remain mobile and nocturnal. But they're no longer as indistinct as they once were.
- Ukrainian troops released imagery of a specially modified truck launcher for Fire Point attack drones
- A few days later, Russian troops released imagery of an attack on one of the launchers
- The two releases may be related
On 30 May, Ukrainian forces released nighttime imagery of a drone team launching Fire Point FP-1/2 one-way attack drones from a civilian-style tractor-trailer truck modified to carry at least three of the fixed-wing, rocket-assisted drones on metal racks.
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Four days later on 3 June, Russian forces released daytime imagery of a drone strike on one of these Ukrainian truck launchers. The Russian drone scored a direct hit. The Ukrainian truck exploded.
It's not totally clear when the Russian strike took place. That is to say, it's not clear the Russians knew to look for the Ukrainian truck launcher because of the 30 May imagery. But the apparent sequence of events, a revealing image of a special Ukrainian capability followed by a Russian attack on the same capability, is sure to raise eyebrows.
Did Ukrainian troops unnecessarily give away the details of their truck launcher?
The $50,000 FP-1/2 family is a mainstay of the Ukrainian deep strike campaign, and includes both pre-programmed and operator-guided variants. Ukrainian drone-maker Fire Point reportedly churns out thousands of the FP-1/2s every month. And every month, Ukrainian drone units launch the propeller-driven drones at Russian air defenses, headquarters, drone bases and warships.
The FP-1 motors as far as 1,000 km with a 100-kg warhead. The FP-2 trades away fuel in order to carry a 160-kg warhead, and as a consequence ranges just 200 km. Both variants launch without a runway, boosting into the air thanks to a quick-burning rocket that jettisons after a few seconds.
Rocket-assisted launch opens up all kinds of non-traditional operational models. Drone teams can launch FP-1/2 from any roadside or field. To stay mobile and unpredictable and complicate Russian effort to strike the launchers, the Ukrainians launch at least some of their FP-1/2s from the modified civilian-style tractor-trailers that they revealed in that May imagery. The trailers open along the side, revealing at least three FP-1/2s on cradles.
To launch an FP-1/2, usually under the cover of darkness, operators first spin up the drone's two-cylinder engine. Then they trigger the underslung rocket that boosts the drone to cruising speed before falling off.
Mobile launchers
It was always apparent that FP-1/2 launch teams traveled in trucks. After all, most drone launch teams on both sides of Russia's 52-month wider war on Ukraine travel in trucks. In that sense, the new imagery of the truck launcher revealed nothing new.
The new information was the trailer's exact appearance. That's a possible security breach because both sides in the wider war deploy AI-assisted drones that can be trained to autonomously spot and strike certain targets. Coders feed the drones' algorithm with images of preferred targets. The more clear images, the more accurate the targeting.
In this sense, the May reveal of the FP-1/2 launcher represented an unnecessary risk for the Ukrainians. Even if the Russians already knew the FP-1/2 teams traveled in a certain type of civilian-style truck, they need a certain volume of imagery in order to train their AI drones to hit the trucks. The May reveal could only help the Russians and hurt the Ukrainians.
To be sure, the Russians are increasingly motivated to hunt Ukrainian teams before they can launch their drones. Russian air defenses are collapsing under the pressure of relentless drone strikes, leaving more Russian troops, bases and supply convoys—and yes, any surviving air defenses—exposed to drone attack.
Striking the launchers can be difficult, however, especially when the launchers are mobile, indistinct and mostly travel at night. Even after the 30 May reveal and the 3 June strike, Ukrainian FP-1/2 launch teams remain mobile and nocturnal. But they're no longer as indistinct as they once were.
