Ukraine's ptashynka drone: A game-changer against Russian armour
Ukrainians have introduced the "Ptashynka," a large FPV drone with a diameter of 33 centimetres and a flight range of up to 20 kilometres. A key feature of the "Ptashynka" is its resistance to jamming. The only way to stop it is to shoot it down.
Currently, both sides in the Ukraine conflict are starting to deploy drones resistant to jamming on a large scale. A more advanced and costly option includes drones that use artificial intelligence algorithms to attack targets in their final flight phase. Meanwhile, a cheaper and more popular option, used by Russians as well, involves drones connected to a control station via a deployable fibre optic cable.
Defending against these drones is quite challenging, and essentially, the only chance to stop an attack is by shooting them down before they hit the target. Russian drones are causing significant issues for Ukrainians by targeting valuable vehicles such as infantry fighting vehicles like the Marder 1A3, tanks such as the M1A1 Abrams, and howitzers like the PzH 2000.
The Ukrainians have now unveiled a factory version of this type of drone known as "Ptashynka" (Пташка), supplementing improvised drones of this kind previously used, among others, by the infamous unit "Ptaki Madziara," which has already developed a defence strategy against them.
Ukrainian "Ptashynka" - for Russians, the choice is to shoot it down or face death
The "Ptashynka" is available in versions with fibre optic spools of either 10 or 20 kilometres. Interestingly, the spool is angled relative to the flight direction, enhancing its aerodynamics.
There's also significant use of 3D-printed parts to maximize lift for both the battery and the warhead. The components are sourced from domestic suppliers or volunteer groups like Wild Bees.
A photo shows a substantial cumulative warhead that appears larger than popular PG-7VL grenades, possibly inspired by the Javelin. Therefore, its ability to penetrate armour can exceed 90 centimetres.
Russian field improvisations will be helpless
Moreover, the warhead likely includes a precursor (a smaller tip) designed to overcome obstacles such as reactive armour or layers of scrap metal, which make Russian tanks resemble "armoured barns". Essentially, the precursor creates an opening allowing the larger warhead to detonate on the actual tank.
In times when there's a shortage of typical anti-tank weapons and uncertainty about supply chains, such as the FGM-148 Javelin from the USA, this development direction seems prudent. Notably, the Americans have not announced a new delivery package for Ukraine. Currently, only deliveries approved by the Joe Biden administration are being executed.
