The Defense Forces of Ukraine use much more of the latest American weapons than is reported in the mass media. This is evidenced by another episode with the declassification of such supplies. As it turned out, the Ukrainian military has been operating the American Anduril Industries’ Ghost-X UAV since 2022.
This was reported by Defense One with reference to its own sources, noting that this is only one of the drones selected as part of the implementation of the Pentagon's Replicator program, which were "run-in" in a real war against the russian federation. Defense Express will remind that at the end of October 2024 it became known that the Armed Forces of Ukraine secretly use experimental V-BAT drones as well.
Read more: First Footage of a Phoenix Ghost Drone in Action (Video)
There were no details about the actual use of Ghost-X UAVs in Ukraine in the American media, but it was noted that the real experience of using these drones allowed to work out a reliable control system in conditions of dense electronic warfare. For instance, the source said, Anduril has developed flying mesh networks to enable drone swarms to swap data even amid heavy electromagnetic warfare interference, “relaying that data along multiple UAS[es] so that they can have long data-chain links.”
Ghost-X is a helicopter-type drone that has quite attractive tactical and technical characteristics:
- communication range up to 25 km with the possibility of covering a distance of up to 100 km;
- the take-off weight of a drone with two batteries is 25 kg;
- time in the air - 75 minutes;
- payload - up to 9 kg.
The drone is expected to have a modular payload with various cameras, including laser illumination, sensors, and electronic intelligence systems. In addition, the Ghost-X UAV can also carry a combat load in the form of miniature ammunition.
This drone is distinguished by a very wide autonomy in terms of the ability to detect, classify and track targets. Ghost-X's software, called Lattice, makes extensive use of artificial intelligence elements, allowing a drone or a group of drones to simply identify an area to patrol.
Defense Express reminds you that in October 2024, the mysterious Phoenix Ghost was also declassified, which turned out to be representatives of the drone family from AEVEX Aerospace.
Read more: To Whom Was russia Able to Sell its Su-57, If Indeed It Was Able to After 16 Years of Trying
