A hybrid of a drone and a rocket: Russia is increasingly targeting Ukraine with ‘Banderole’ munitions
Yuriy Ignat, Head of the Communications Department of the Ukrainian Air Force, spoke about this during the telethon.
According to Ignat, the ‘Banderole’ munition is a kind of hybrid between a drone and a missile. The proportion of jet-powered drones in enemy attacks is constantly increasing, and the Russians are using them more and more frequently in various theatres of operation.
At the same time, he noted that the “Banderole” is a routine target for Ukrainian air defence.
“Its flight parameters are similar to those of a cruise missile – around 600 kilometres per hour,” said Ignat.
Due to this high speed, the Ukrainian military is deploying both anti-aircraft guided missiles and aircraft to intercept such drones.
Where does the enemy launch such drones from?
Typically, ‘Banderole’ loitering munitions are launched from Russian ‘Orion’ drones patrolling the Black Sea.
It is from these that the occupiers have most frequently carried out strikes on the Mykolaiv and Odesa regions. However, other aircraft can also deploy this munition.
Features of the “Banderole”
The “Banderol” (S8000) is a Russian loitering munition or small-calibre winged missile with a jet engine. It is a hybrid of a drone and a missile, developed by the sanctioned ‘Kronstadt’ group.
Specifications of the loitering munition:
- it is equipped with an OFBCh-150 warhead containing 50 kg of explosive;
- it can fly up to 500 km, but the Ukrainian Armed Forces have recorded strikes at a maximum distance of 300 km;
- it usually flies at an altitude of 400–2,000 m, but descends to 200 m before impact;
- is capable of active manoeuvring during flight: the missile requires a distance of 2.5 km to turn round;
- it is guided by satellite navigation signals, is susceptible to electronic warfare, but has an autonomous navigation system.
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