During a recent russian drone attack on Ukraine, the Armed Forces of Ukraine successfully downed a jet-powered drone used by the russians.
Polkovnyk GSH, an expert in this field, shared photos and detailed information about the incident, stating that the drone was shot down on August 30. According to the Ukrainian Air Force Command, the enemy launched 18 Shahed-131/136 strike drones on the night of August 30, of which 12 were intercepted, and 4 crashed independently. However, no official confirmation has been provided regarding the downing of a jet-powered drone.
Read more: Bulgaria Shows Own Iteration of Iranian Shahed-136 Loitering Munition Called Samjet
The newly encountered jet-powered drone, which remains unidentified, features a flying wing aerodynamic design and lacked a warhead. The post highlighted that the drone’s craftsmanship is comparable to that of an amateur aeromodelling club, with control surfaces attached using door hinges, missing rivets and wires secured with reinforced tape along the wing.
The drone’s jet engine is believed to be of Chinese origin, likely from Swiwin, a manufacturer of engines for model aircraft that are freely available on the civilian market. While this assessment is based on external observation, the engine bears a strong resemblance to the SW400pro model.
If this assumption is accurate, the engine in question is a small-sized unit with a diameter of 14.6 cm, a weight of 3 kg and a thrust of 400 N (40.4 kgf). Despite its size, the engine is not inexpensive, with a civilian market price ranging from $6,500 to $12,000, excluding shipping.
The intended purpose of this drone remains unclear. It could potentially serve as a decoy target, although the choice of a jet engine for this role is somewhat controversial. It’s also worth noting that russia might have drawn inspiration from the Iranian Shahed-238 drone, which was deployed in limited numbers against Ukraine in January 2024.
Read more: Ukraine Tests the BULLET Jet-Powered Anti-Air Interceptor Drone
