Made in Ukraine: Ukrainian-made Strike UAVs have become the linchpin to Ukraine's offensive power and future defence capabilities

As the war approached its one-year mark and Ukraine began to orient towards another offensive, the destructive potential of its unmanned capabilities began to come to the fore. A March 2022 article in the Economist pointed out the Ukrainian military’s apparent focus on ‘strike drones’ capable of carrying and dropping explosives and missiles on targets hundreds and, in theory, thousands of kilometres away. As the piece noted, Ukraine is relying on its domestic industry to develop and manufacture strike UAVs. Those with reasonably long ranges can partly meet Ukraine’s need for cruise and ballistic missiles. Although for now their quantities are limited relative to operational need, the effort to establish domestic UCAV production is an important indicator of the future trajectory of Ukraine’s defence capability and industrial base development. Given the increased use of UAVs by the Russian side in recent months, this can impact the course of the war by underpinning a successful Ukrainian offensive and help ensure the country’s long-term security.

As with other types of UAVs (e.g. surveillance), the majority of Ukrainian strike UAV developments predate Russia’s 2022 invasion and stem from the post-2014 Russia- orchestrated separatist conflict in the east of the country. This reflects both the longevity of Russian aggression against Ukraine and the complexity of military combat UAV development. One such system is the Punisher, a tactical strike UAV with a maximum range of 45 kilometres and a two-kilogram unguided ‘high-explosive bomb’. Developed by UA Dynamics, a company comprised largely of Ukrainian veterans, the Punisher is well suited for damaging enemy transport, fuel depots, or ammunition storage sites, and has been called the ‘fastest drone’ of its kind operating in Ukraine, given its ostensible five-minute reload period. There is also the R18, a five-kilogram, eight-propellor UAV developed by the NGO Aerorozvidka, which can carry modified RKG-3 Soviet-era anti-tank grenades and has been particularly effective at damaging and destroying Russian armoured vehicles, including main battle tanks.

In January 2023, Ukroboronprom, Ukraine’s state-owned defence conglomerate, also announced the completion of crucial tests by its long-range strike UAV. Conducted in secret, this development would enable Ukraine to hit targets 1,000 kilometres away, with a payload of up to 75 kilograms. In addition, the Luch Design Bureau, another state enterprise, unveiled the Sokil-300 in 2021, capable of both intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) as well as strike roles, when armed with up to four guided missiles , such as the Ukrainian RK-2P or RK-10 anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs). Capable of a 3,300 kilometre maximum flight range, the Ukrainian Sokil-300 was billed as a notably cheaper alternative to the Bayraktar.

One challenge for Ukrainian combat UAVs, however, is one of pace and scale. Although publicly available information is minimal, it does appear that, at present, neither the Ukroboronprom UAV or the Sokil-300 is ready for serial production, where they could be supplied to the armed forces in sufficient volume and frequency. Similarly, while small, light operational and tactical drones like the Punisher and R18 have been part of the military arsenal since the early months of the war, their suppliers continue to face production capacity and funding challenges. This is mainly due to logistical issues with obtaining the required foreign parts, low survivability of UAVs in contested airspace, and numerous war-linked disruptions to normal business activity. There have also been technology-related obstacles, such as the ability to control and communicate with UAVs amidst formidable Russian electronic warfare and air defence capabilities.

Nevertheless, recent efforts by Ukraine indicate that it views UAVs as an essential component of its military capabilities and battlefield advantage against enemy firepower for the current war and future defence capability development. It is accordingly ramping up domestic strike UAV production and improving design with a range of specifications and targets. For example, the Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov announced at the end of March that his Drone Army UAV-funding initiative has enabled the formation of three ‘strike UAV companies’ within the Armed Forces of Ukraine equipped with Ukrainian-produced drones, as well as the training of 10,000 UAV operators; both efforts are poised for significant expansion. The Zelenskyy administration is also supporting domestic UAV manufacturers – procurement procedures for existing UAVs and acquisition methods for those still in development have been greatly simplified, while the government eased rules for importing UAV components. Fedorov announced plans to create supply hubs to further help solve manufacturers’ component problems.

On the technological front, Ukrainian developers have been breaking new ground. Engineers at the company Skynetua, for example, recently tested a concept model for both one-way attack UAV (often referred to as ‘kamikaze drones’ in the media) and reusable strike drone development, and are working on developing ‘twin’ UAVs to operate as a pair – one for ISR and one for crashing into targets. Ukraine has a history of developing jet-powered one-way attack UAVs since the Soviet era. Recent experiments have included powering the existing RZ60 one-way attack UAV (apparently used as target practice and not currently in serial production) with a small rocket booster. Importantly, Aerorozvidka has been focusing on developing a UAV ‘ecosystem’ to enable UAV cooperation and communication, including as a basis for so-called swarming.

Ukrainian strike UAVs may not yet be ubiquitous in the military’s inventory. However, to paraphrase Aerorozvidka’s Supervisory Board Chairman Oleksiy Honcharuk, they are a key ingredient of the ‘smart’ way of war Ukraine has been developing as it resists Russia’s full-scale invasion. This can make the Ukrainian defence industry and its military pioneers in the future ways of war. In order to achieve this, the Ukrainian government will need to continue with its efforts to create favourable conditions for domestic UAV producers. Ukraine’s allies and partners can support it by sharing technical expertise, facilitating international exposure for Ukrainian developments, and backing collaboration and joint ventures between Ukrainian and international industry.