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On September 21, two unmanned surface vehicle (USV) were reportedly found in the area of Sevastopol in Crimea. At least one of them was destroyed by Russian forces. The other was thrown ashore.
The governor of Sevastopol, commenting on the explosion heard near the coast, reported it was a result of the destruction of a marine drone was carried out.
The type of the vehicles was not identified.
Photos of the second discovered device showed that it was equipped with one water jet propulsion, which allows it to develop high speed. The USV has a small size and probably low radar visibility. The UAV was equipped with a camera and an infrared long-range viewing device. Behind the camera there is a flat antenna, possibly used for navigation and communication. There is also a smaller camera and two sensors.
Some military experts suppose that the drone was equipped with a bomb or projectile. The USV was probably a kamikaze drone aimed at damaging Russian ships by self-explosion.
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The USVs found in Sevastopol could be a variation of MANTAS vehicles that were previously supplied by the US to Ukraine. In May, Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said that the MANTAS T-12 were being sent to Ukraine to suppress Russian forces striking Ukraine from the sea.
MANTAS T-12
Ukraine received a batch of unmanned stealth boats of the MANTAS T-12 type. Ukrainian operators of these drones completed a training course at the US Navy Naval Base Little Creek, in Virginia. This type of UAVs are designed for reconnaissance, but can also be used as strike weapons.
The latest USV in the T-series, MANTAS T12, was launched in January 2018 at the Surface Navy Association’s (SNA) 2018 National Symposium held in Washington DC, US.
The MANTAS T-12 type boat has a hull length of 3.6 m; a width of 0.9 m, rises only 18 centimeters above the sea surface; maintains seaworthiness in a storm up to 4 points; its cruising range is up to 120 miles; estimated payload is 63.5 kg; maximum speed is 40 knots.
In total, the MANTAS USVs are available in eight different configurations.
The discovered boats are not MANTAS T-12. They may turn out to be another weapon secretly supplied to Ukraine without any official statements from Washington.
