First Shahed Shot Down in Kursk Region: Ukraine has Officially Codified Cyclops Drone (militarnyi.com)

submitted 3 months ago by Delta_V@lemmy.world to c/ukraine@sopuli.xyz

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...The Ukrainian defense ministry reported that the drone is highly maneuverable and provides precise and smooth control at various speeds.

The Cyclops UAS was developed by a Ukrainian company. The system has several variants.

The first variant is less expensive, simpler in design, and easier to operate. These are designed to engage ground targets, as well as slow-moving aerial targets at low altitudes.

The second variant has significantly higher tactical and technical characteristics and is designed to effectively engage high-speed Shahed drones at high altitudes...

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[-] Delta_V@lemmy.world 3 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

The airframe reminds me of an Me-262.

[-] AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space 3 points 3 months ago

Are these single-use kamikaze drones or do they fire projectiles at targets?

[-] Delta_V@lemmy.world 5 points 3 months ago

I haven't seen any evidence they're equipped with guns if that's what you mean.

They probably have a proximity fused HEAT charge in a fragmentation-optimized case.

The resemblance to a WWII-era fighter-bomber suggests it might also be effective in a reusable role, dropping grenades on targets too far away to be hit by quadcopters, and then returning to base.

[-] Glowstick@lemmy.world 4 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Look at the size of it in the pictures in the article, it's got just a 3 foot wingspan, so there's no way it's more than a kamikaze explosive. And that's the right strategy, because the size and simplicity means they'll be super cheap and easy to manufacturer in huge numbers