Mysterious floating drone washed ashore – this is how Ukraine chases the Russian navy
MANTAS T-38 unmanned surface vehicle
Source: US Army/Sgt. David Resnick/Mauritius Pictures
At the end of September, an unmanned high-tech boat with video cameras washed up near Sevastopol. There are several indications that Ukraine has used this drone in recent attacks on Russian naval vessels. Experts are already seeing a new era of warfare.
EAt the end of September, a mysterious unmanned boat appeared not far from the port of Sevastopol on the Black Sea. Painted black, it houses video cameras and sensors and a flat antenna on top. It may have been used to communicate with Elon Musk’s Starlink internet satellite network. The boat does not have a conventional outboard motor with a water propeller, but a water jet drive, also known as a jet ski drive. This makes it easier to drive in shallow water and easier to stop when driving fast.
A month later, there was evidence that Ukraine used this new type of drone boat in its latest attack on Russian naval vessels in the port city of Sevastopol on the Crimean peninsula. Renowned maritime expert HI Sutton and other professional site contributors navalnews.com There is no doubt that this new model of Ukrainian kamikaze drone was used in recent attacks.
Experts are talking about a USV (Unmanned Surface Vessel) with explosive cargo. Expert Sutton sees clear parallels between the construction of the boat that washed ashore in September and video footage from an underwater drone that has just emerged.
Some military experts already see a new era in warfare with the simultaneous use of kamikaze drones, which launch explosives from the air and models that target their targets in water. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, eight air drones and seven water drones were used in the latest attack.
All flying drones and four boat drones were driven off, while the rest were destroyed on the ground. Moscow said only the minelayer, Ivan Golubets, was slightly injured in the attack. However, according to the published video content, a different picture emerges. After that, a boat drone targeted an Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate, which apparently took no countermeasures.
After the sinking of the Black Sea Fleet’s flagship Moskva in April, Ukraine was able to attack its new flagship Makarov for the second time, experts say.
The use of unmanned, remote-controlled boats with explosives in warfare or by terrorist groups is by no means new. But attacking in mini swarms is a modern variant with cheap models and detailed analysis of the attack area in advance by intelligence services and satellite imagery. This should not only worry Russian military experts. The security technology of ships or port facilities is much later.
There have been attacks by large bomb boats, such as on October 12, 2000 when the terrorist group Al-Qaeda attacked the USS Cole in the Yemeni port of Aden. A ship with two men headed towards the destroyer with explosives. 17 US Navy personnel were killed. For NATO, it was also a warning signal that warships could be in particular danger while in port.
For example, naval expert Sutton points out that Germany used a demolition boat called the Fernlenkboot at the start of World War I. A control system with 20 kilometers of cable was created Siemens was created. Italy also developed unmanned bombers during World War II. Other countries are investing in unmanned hovercraft and explosive drones, such as Iran. Some smaller speedboats are also converted.
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