With the advent of remotely controlled air defense systems, the Ukrainian military can not only attack Russian ships with a “swarm” of naval kamikaze drones, but also protect it from air strikes.
The strike by a Ukrainian Magura V5 maritime drone with R-73 air-to-air missiles on the Russian Mongoose boat is the first known case of the use of a multi-role maritime drone in combat against an enemy at sea. The Defense Express portal writes about how the appearance of such drones will change the war against the Russian Federation at sea.
The Magura V5 with R-73 missiles is reported to be the first armed naval drone at the disposal of the Ukrainian Defense Forces. At the moment, it is unknown whether this device is a kamikaze drone, or a drone to cover a swarm of kamikazes, but the very appearance of such weapons in the arsenal of the Ukrainian military significantly expands their capabilities in the fight against the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
As noted in the publication, countries such as the USA and Turkey also have developments in the field of multi-purpose armed unmanned ships and boats, but their drones have not yet proven themselves in practice. Thus, Ukraine demonstrated for the first time the effect of such technologies in a real battle at sea.
Experts also emphasized that the Magura V5 with the P-73 can be considered the world’s first remotely controlled anti-aircraft missile system (SAM). The drone has a short range, but similar developments are unknown in the world.
To summarize, the authors of the publication suggested that with the advent of the Magura V5 with the P-73 in service with the Ukrainian Defense Forces, the Ukrainian military is closer to the possibility of not only attacking targets with a “swarm” of naval kamikaze drones, but also covering this swarm with the help of multi-purpose unmanned boats. In this way, the Ukrainians will be able to increase pressure on the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
Let us remind you that on May 6, a Ukrainian maritime drone Magura V5 hit a Russian speed boat. Russian media published a video showing a drone dodging fire from a Ka-29 helicopter. The contours of the new superstructure resemble the R-73 anti-aircraft missile.
Military editor Focus, Israeli military observer Yigal Levin noted that the R-73 missile has a heat guidance system. Although it is old, with old electronics, it is quite effective. The expert believes that the very fact of the presence of such missiles on the naval drones of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will make Russian pilots, especially helicopter pilots, nervous.
