According to analysts, an aircraft pylon was placed on a marine drone at a certain angle. Magura V5 has become a platform on which various weapons are integrated.
On May 6, the Main Intelligence Directorate showed new footage of the destruction of Russian targets in temporarily occupied Crimea. The target was the Mongoose boat, but the Russians published a video of a naval drone with an R-73 aircraft missile. Now Defense Express specialists have described how they integrated the ammunition onto the Magura V5 platform.
Russian telegram channels published a new photo of a Ukrainian naval drone with an R-73 aircraft missile. The integration of ammunition was as simple as possible, experts write. The Magura V5 was equipped with a standard aircraft pylon at an angle. A standard camera on a movable stabilized gimbal with a thermal imaging channel is used as a detection means.
Questions remain open about how the pylon and the missile were powered, how target acquisition is indicated and the pre-launch preparation of the missile is ensured. But the very fact of using the R-73 is called the most pragmatic solution for several reasons.
R-73 missile on board Magura V5 maritime drone
The R-73 missile has an MK-80 infrared homing head with a field of view of 75 degrees and target designation angles of 45 degrees and a capture range of 8-12 km. It is also known about the Ukrainian modernization of the MK-2200 homing head, which improved all characteristics.
The authors note that it would be logical to integrate APWKS missiles, which are small in size, but it would need laser target illumination. Also in this case, it would be necessary to install a gyro-stabilized optical sighting station with laser illumination, which is adapted for marine conditions.
Also, an alternative could be the Stinger MANPADS, but it has a smaller warhead of 2.3 kg versus 8 kg for the R-73. In addition, the sensitivity of the homing head of the R-73 missile may be better than that of MANPADS, and this will directly affect the increase in firing range.
The authors call the only disadvantage of the R-73 a dead zone of 300 m, which is the minimum for shooting down targets. And due to integration into marine drones, it is even increasing. As a result, the authors believe that the new version of the Magura V5 with the R-73 missile is the best solution, taking into account costs and ease of implementation.
Let us recall that on May 6, the media wrote that Ukraine used a naval drone with an R-73 missile for the first time.
The Main Intelligence Directorate spoke about the destruction of the Mongoose boat in Crimea, which was valued at $3 million.
