Different versions of kamikaze drones have found their niches in the skies
The events of recent years convincingly prove that kamikaze drones are increasingly occupying a niche of mass high-precision weapons of various objects, equipment and enemy manpower. In Russia, having initially been late with their development and implementation, they also began to actively develop this field of military technologies and have already achieved significant success.
The cheapening and massive use of high technologies has led to the emergence and increasing spread in the world of such a class of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as "kamikaze drones" - that is, drones with an integrated warhead. They are also called barrage ammunition, although this latter term is not quite suitable for some modifications of these UAVs.
FAIRLY CHEAP, RELATIVELY SIMPLE
The annual handbook on the armed forces of the countries of the world "Military Balance" (The Military Balance 2023) notes that most of these devices are distinguished by their small size, relatively low speeds, active use in their manufacture of materials that do not reflect the radio signal, etc.
All this makes them quite difficult targets for air defense systems. Especially for systems developed back in the XX century and designed primarily to defeat manned aircraft, helicopters and large cruise missiles.
At the same time, kamikaze drones have another important advantage: they do not require expensive and complex carriers and launchers. What distinguishes them from high-precision aviation weapons, since the cost of modern combat aircraft is extremely high. Some kamikaze drones can even be launched from compact portable or improvised launchers.
According to the British specialized publisher Jane's Information Group, during combat operations, kamikaze drones can both help suppress enemy air defenses and aircraft to gain air supremacy, and be used to strike at the enemy even in conditions of its superiority in the air.
In the latter case, it is also worth noting such a factor: providing protection from such devices often requires disproportionately high costs compared to the costs of the kamikaze drones themselves. In addition, the cost of such drones in many cases is incomparably lower than the cost of those anti-aircraft or aviation missiles that are spent on their defeat.
Open source data show that similar Israeli-made drones were used by Azerbaijan during the second Karabakh war in the fall of 2020. Yemeni Houthis with the help of kamikaze drones of Iranian design have hit the objects of the oil industry of Saudi Arabia.
A study of the databases of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) suggests that the variety of known kamikaze drones is very large: from devices like the Turkish Kargu quadrocopters that can work no more than half an hour within a radius of 5-10 km from the operator, and to the Iranian Shahed-136 drones, which, according to some estimates, have a range of about 2000-2200 km.
PRELIMINARY CLASSIFICATION
The exact classification of kamikaze drones still remains uncertain.
Researchers of The Jamestown Foundation, an American non-governmental research organization, distinguish three main groups of kamikaze drones.
The first of them consists of drones, which are designed primarily to defeat targets set before launch. Such kamikaze drones have very limited capabilities to find a specific target for an attack in the barrage mode.
For example, the Yemeni Houthis use Samad-3 drones to carry out attacks on targets deep in the territory of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which can fly at a range of about 1,500 km at a speed of up to 200-250 km/h and carry a warhead of 18 kg. Since there is no satellite communication system on these UAVs, and there are no radio signal repeaters along the way, it is in any case impossible to directly control and direct these devices to the target. Therefore, drones are launched at such a range for predetermined targets and fly along programmed routes, focusing on satellite and inertial navigation systems. Given that this is their main mode of use, they cannot even be called fully barrage ammunition.
The second group is formed by drones, which are primarily focused on searching for targets in the off-line barrage mode using homing heads installed on them. Such kamikaze drones are usually configured for a certain type of targets that their GPS is guided by.
A classic example of such a drone is the Israeli Harpy, designed to defeat enemy radar stations (radars). This device is launched into a certain area and patrols there until the GPS detects radar signals, after which the drone flies to the source of radar radiation and hits it.
Finally, the third group consists of drones that carry out reconnaissance, search for targets – and, if necessary, their subsequent destruction under the direct control of the operator.
Typical examples include Chinese CH-901 UAVs, Israeli Harop and SkyStriker, American Switchblade, etc.
Again, it must be repeated that the boundaries between these groups remain unclear, because it is possible to meet cases when kamikaze drones have the optional possibility of installing an optoelectronic system, but often this opportunity is not used - primarily to reduce the cost of strikes. It also happens that different variations of it are produced on the basis of one drone. A classic example is the Iranian UAV Ababil–2, which has been produced for many years, which exists in variants of a scout, a target drone and a kamikaze drone.
DOMESTIC EXPERIENCE
It must be recognized that in Russia, serious development and implementation of kamikaze drones were taken up late, so we had to catch up with those countries where we took up this direction in advance. The leading Russian developer and manufacturer in this field is the ZALA AERO group of companies, which has been part of the Kalashnikov Concern JSC since 2015. Now it is known about three kamikaze drones from ZALA AERO: these are CUBE-UAV, Lancet-1 and Lancet-3.
It is reliably known that the CUBE-UAV was first presented in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi at the IDEX 2019 International Arms Exhibition, although its development and testing began several years before that. It is known that the first cases of the use of the CUBE-UAV took place back in 2015.
The CUBE-UAV is a small drone created according to the "flying wing" scheme with a pushing propeller. It is capable of being in the air for 30 minutes, flying at speeds up to 130 km /h and carrying a payload weighing 3 kg, which includes the actual warhead. This device can defeat ground targets both according to manually set coordinates and according to the image from the target guidance load.
Judging by the video from the manufacturer, the launch of the device is carried out from a catapult, and the attack on the target can be carried out by almost vertical diving and hitting the target from above. The manufacturer notes the quietness of the use of the CUBE-UAV, which is associated with the use of an electric motor.
In 2021, it was reported that the KUB-UAV had passed all tests, was recommended for adoption by the Russian Army and its serial deliveries were expected approximately in the current 2022. A marine modification of the CUBE-UAV was also tested, which, as stated, can be launched even from amphibious assault boats.
The Lancet-1 drone from ZALA AERO also has a pusher propeller and an electric motor for noiselessness, but it looks very different from the CUBE-UAV. This barrage munition is designed according to the scheme of a double x-shaped tail and has an elongated cigar-shaped fuselage with an integrated optoelectronic system in the nose. The television communication channel allows the operator to monitor the success of hitting the target. Also, "Lancet-1" can be launched at specified coordinates. The Lancet-1 can fly at speeds up to 110 km/h for 30 minutes and carries a payload weighing 1 kg.
The fate of another barrage munition from ZALA AERO is interesting – the Lancet-3, which in 2019 was presented together with the Lancet-1 and looked like its enlarged version with a payload weight of 3 kg and a flight duration of 40 minutes.
It is known that the Lancets were tested in Syria. But over time, separate shots began to appear with the defeat of militant field commanders and other important targets with the help of some previously unknown kamikaze drone. Although it was difficult to see the features of the device in detail in the initial shots, this drone was somewhat similar to the Lancets presented earlier, but instead of two symmetrical x-shaped wings in the middle and tail section, it had one large x-shaped wing in the middle and a small x-shaped tail in the tail section.
In mid-February 2022, a new, deeply modernized version of the Lancet-3 barrage munition was tested on the positions of terrorists in Syria, which had exactly the same aerodynamic scheme as those unknown kamikaze drones. It was reported that this upgraded version of the Lancet-3 has an increased duration and range of flight, and is also capable of carrying a more powerful warhead than the basic version.
The American media analyzed the results of the use of Lancet barrage ammunition against Ukrainian military equipment. According to experts, they are among the most effective in the Russian arsenal. The main objectives of the Lancet are expensive artillery installations and air defense systems used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In particular, it is said that towed and self-propelled guns, anti-aircraft missile launchers, radar vehicles and stations for controlling Bayraktar drones were attacked by Lancets. Hits to tanks and armored personnel carriers were also recorded. In addition, Lancets were used against trucks and SUVs. It seems that these last cases, apparently, were due to the fact that the originally intended important targets were lost by the time the Lancets appeared and they were directed against less valuable equipment that happened to be nearby.
In conclusion, it must be said: the military conflicts of recent years have repeatedly proved that the importance of unmanned vehicles of various classes cannot be neglected. Kamikaze drones also occupied their niche among them. Moreover, this niche will grow and expand further – especially in connection with the active development of technologies for the use of the so-called swarm of drones for military purposes in different countries.
Vasily Ivanov
Vasily Ivanovich Ivanov is a journalist.