Ukraine unveils upgraded sea drone it says can strike anywhere in the Black Sea
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s state security service has unveiled an improved maritime drone that it says can now operate, carry heavier weapons and be used anywhere in the Black Sea. artificial intelligence for targeting.
Ukrainian used unmanned maritime drones to target Russian ships and infrastructure in the Black Sea. The Security Service of Ukraine, known by its Ukrainian acronym SBU, credited the attacks of the unmanned ship known as “”. “Sea Baby” With Russia being forced into a strategic shift in naval operations.
range Sea Baby It was expanded from 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) to 1,500 kilometers (930 miles), the SBU said. The vehicle can carry up to 2,000 kilograms (about 4,400 pounds) of cargo, SBU officials said.
In a demonstration attended by The Associated Press, the variants included ships equipped with multiple rocket launchers and another ship with a stabilized machine gun turret.
SBU Brigadier General Ivan Lukashevych said the new ships also have AI-powered friend-or-foe targeting systems and can launch small air attack drones and multi-layered self-destruct systems to avoid capture.
Developing a new type of naval warfare
The SBU said drone strikes were used in successful attacks on 11 Russian ships, including frigates and missile carriers, prompting the Russian navy to move its main base from Sevastopol in 2017. Crimea To Novorossiysk on Russia’s Black Sea coast.
“SBU was the first company in the world to pioneer this new type of naval warfare, and we continue to advance it,” Lukashevych said, adding that Sea Baby has evolved from a disposable attack vehicle into a reusable, multi-purpose platform that expands Ukraine’s attack options.
Authorities requested that the time and place of the demonstration not be disclosed to the public for security reasons.
The vehicle is operated remotely from a mobile control center inside a van, where operators use a series of screens and controls.
“The cohesion of the crew members is probably the most important thing. We’re constantly working on that,” said one operator, identified only by the call sign “Scout” according to Ukrainian military protocol.
Ukrainian naval drones helped push back Russian navy
The SBU also said naval drones had helped carry out other high-profile attacks, including repeated attacks on the Crimean Bridge, most recently targeting underwater supports for heavy military transport to render them unusable.
The Sea Baby program is funded in part by public donations through a state-run initiative and coordinated with Ukraine’s military and political leadership.
The evolution from expendable attack boats to reusable, networked drones marks a significant advance in asymmetric naval warfare, Lukashevych said.
“We have installed rocket weapons in this new product, which will allow us to operate from a wide distance outside the attack range of enemy fire. We can use such platforms to carry heavy weapons,” he said. “Here we can show Ukrainians how to use the money they donate to us most effectively.”
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Associated Press journalists Alex Babenko, Yehor Konovalov and Volodymyr Yurchuk contributed to this report.
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You can follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
