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The Ukrainian military claimed the launch of mass production of its new kamikaze drone AQ 400 Scythe designed to carry out attacks over long distances deep into Russian territory. The new UAV is claimed to be an analogue of Russian Geran UAVs.
Ukrainian media published footage of the test launch of the new AQ 400 Scythe UAV.
According to the developer, the drone is capable of delivering up to 32 kilograms of payload over a distance of up to 750 kilometers. By reducing the distance by half, the weight of the warhead can reach 70 kilograms.
The speed reportedly reaches 144 km / h, the take-off weight does not exceed 100 kilograms, and the wingspan is 2.3 meters. It can be launched with a catapult or take off from a short runway. The manufacturer assures that AQ 400 Scythe UAVs are allegedly much more effective than various versions of Geran, and “thanks to their mass production they will lead to significant changes on the contact line.”
Characteristics of the UAV “Geran-2”:
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Length: 3.5 meters
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Wingspan: 2.5 meters
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Speed: 150-180 km/h
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Weight: 200 kilograms
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Payload: 50 kilograms
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Flight altitude: 7,500 meters
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Flight range: 1,800-2,500 kilometers
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Flight duration: 10-12 hours
The Ukrainian side claims that production facilities allow the creation of up to one hundred new drones per month, and in the future they plan to increase this number to 500 units per month. It is noted that key components are manufactured in Ukraine, while some parts are purchased from Germany and Britain.
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So far, the Ukrainian military only made threatening claims. A single AQ 400 Scythe is yet to be deployed in the attack. The prototypes shown by the local media look very suspicious. Apparently, the poor appearance hides the need to make the UAVs as cheap and easy to assemble as possible.
The Ukrainian military likely has means necessary to launch some production of new type UAV, but it is obviously highly dependent on foreign supplies. Taking into account Russian intelligence means throughout the country, such facilities can be easily detected and promptly hit by Russian drones and missiles. Any secured mass production is only possible beyond Ukrainian border, which makes it much more expensive and time-consuming.
AQ 400 Scythe is not the first Ukrainian kamikaze drone claimed to compete Russian Geran UAVs. All Kiev’s attempts to produce their own UAVs, which would be as dangerous, ended in failures. Despite NATO support, Ukraine is still not able to catch up with Russia in production of long-range kamikaze drones.
