The Ukrainian company «Atarna» demonstrated at the Brave1 tests the «Zhuk» strike drone with a declared range of 40 km and the ability to work with a repeater to increase the range.
The Ukrainian company «Atarna» demonstrated at the Brave1 tests the «Zhuk» strike drone with a declared range of 40 km and the ability to work with a repeater to increase the range.
The development was reported by the publication «Military», which visited the public tests of Brave1. «Zhuk» is made according to the aircraft scheme and is launched from a mobile catapult, which allows you to quickly deploy the complex in the field by a small team. Combined means are used to aim at the target, and the manufacturer regularly updates the hardware, taking into account the emergence of new means of electronic warfare of the enemy. Separately, a modular approach to the warhead was announced: depending on the task, high-explosive fragmentation, cumulative and other options are installed.
The warhead of the «Zhuka» weighs approximately 1.8–2 kg, which allows it to hit lightly armored targets, equipment in positions, warehouses, electronic warfare and other vulnerable objects. To expand the operational radius of application, the platform can work in tandem with a repeater drone — it is also produced by «Atarna». During the tests, a hit was recorded at a distance of 67 km, which demonstrates the capabilities of the «strike UAV + repeater» communication in difficult radio conditions.
According to the developer, the mobile catapult launch reduces dependence on the strip and infrastructure, and the aircraft scheme adds a margin of range and flight stability compared to copter solutions. The company emphasizes that the design openly supports modernization: updating on-board electronics, changing payload types, adapting attack profiles and guidance algorithms.
On the battlefield, there is a growing demand for lightweight kamikaze drones with modular warheads: they are farther than FPV copters, cheaper than heavy UAVs, and are faster to prepare for launch from a catapult. The «firing device + repeater» pair has become the standard for working at depth. Thus, the operator maintains communication even in difficult electronic warfare and terrain conditions. The weight of the warhead up to 2 kg provides efficiency in terms of equipment at positions, warehouses, and radio electronics, and interchangeable types of fuses and equipment allow you to select a defeat scenario «for the task». Logistics is important for units: a mobile catapult, unified batteries, and quick replacement of modules reduce the time between launches and simplify maintenance on the front line.
Previously, dev.ua wrote about how Ukrainian manufacturer of unmanned aerial systems Skyeton integrates military sensor technologies from the French company Harmattan AI into its Raybird tactical drones.
