The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has showcased its previously undisclosed unmanned surface vehicle. The Kozak Mamai sea drone is one of the weapons actively used by Ukrainian forces to launch strikes on russian warships operating in the Black Sea to the south of Ukraine. It was also deployed to attack the so-called Crimean Bridge, SSU told Andrii Tsapliienko, a TV journalist from TSN.ua.
Though they didn't tell him much, and most of the details remain unknown. The SSU assured, though, that the Kozak Mamai drone is "the fastest object in the Black Sea," with a speed reaching 110 km/h, or almost 70 mph. The sole task of the uncrewed vessel is to reach the enemy and detonate.
Read more: The Naval Fleet of Drones Sinks or Damages 7 russian Warships in 1st Year
Kozak Mamai's hull length is 6 meters, and it has a camera and a satellite connection system placed on top. It is made of bulletproof material to resist russian attempts to eliminate the drone with machine gun fire.
An SSU representative reminds that the production of unmanned surface vehicles is done entirely in Ukraine, the workshops are hidden underground.
On a note from Defense Express, the SSU is also known for operating the Sea Baby, another USV unveiled in summer 2023. This drone was involved in attacks on the Crimean Bridge, too. The unmanned boat carries about 850 kg of explosives.
"It's not just a sea drone, it's a multi-purpose platform which is being used today, and very successfully," says Vasyl Maliuk, Chief of the SSU, speaking of Sea Baby.
Tsapliienko's report also touches upon the third and last known type of maritime drone, the Magura V5. Unlike the other two, this type of USV is operated by the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. It is a multirole platform, too, and recently it surfaced that, among other tasks, it can deploy naval mines.
SSU recalls all the naval targets struck by the service in 2022–2023, including:
- Project 11356R Admiral Makarov frigate (investigation here);
- Project 1239 Samum hoverborne corvette (here's how it happened);
- Project 22160 Vasily Bykov patrol ship (initially thought to have caught a mine);
- Olenegorsky Gornyak dock landing ship (strike resulting in a hole 3 meters wide)
- SIG tanker (with FPV footage surfaced the same day)
- Nikolay Moore tugboat;
- Project 23040G Vladimir Kozitsky anti-mine ship (reported in October)
Read more: Ukrainian Drone Commander, Callsign 13: We Will Not Rest Until the Black Sea Is Free Again
