Ukrainian Kamikaze Ground Drone Blows Up Bridge In Russian-Occupied Donetsk

Ukraine's technological innovation is quite literally changing the way wars will be fought. All major militaries are scrambling to catch up, with some, including the US scrapping billion dollar weapons programs developed over years because the Ukraine war experience has rendered them obsolete. JL 

Militarnyi reports:

A Ukrainian Ratel S kamikaze ground drone blew up a bridge in Ivanivske in the Donetsk region. The Ratel S is an unmanned ground vehicle which the military uses it as a carrier of anti-tank mines or a combat module and for remote mining of positions under the fire control of the invaders. It is capable of carrying two TM-62 anti-tank mines or bombs, weighing 10 kilograms each. A specialized version of the Ratel S in the “kamikaze” variant is designed to destroy fortifications, engineering structures, and armored vehicles. It can carry a payload of up to 35 kilograms and its range reaches 10 kilometers. It is controlled by an operator with remote control. It has an onboard camera for monitoring and direct control of the drone on the ground.

A Ukrainian Ratel S kamikaze ground drone blew up a bridge in the village of Ivanivske in the Donetsk region.

This was reported by Mykhailo Fedorov, Deputy Prime Minister and Digital Transformation Minister.

With the help of a ground drone, the Ukrainian military blew up a bridge in the village of Ivanivske to complicate the logistics of the invaders in the Bakhmut sector.

 

The video shows the explosives-laden remote-controlled platform reaching the target and exploding, striking the bridge’s structures.A Ratel S is an unmanned ground vehicle from developers who are members of the Brave1 program. The military uses it as a carrier of anti-tank mines or a combat module.

It is actively used by Ukrainian forces for remote mining of positions under the fire control of the invaders.

One platform is capable of carrying two TM-62 anti-tank mines, weighing about 10 kilograms each. It is controlled by an operator from a remote control within a radius of 1500 meters or 3 km with a repeater.

 

The drone has an onboard camera for monitoring and direct control of the drone on the ground.

Ratel S ground drone, its antenna and control panel

A specialized version of the Ratel S in the “kamikaze” variant is designed specifically to destroy fortifications, engineering structures, and armored vehicles.

With a weight of 60 kg, this drone can carry a payload of up to 35 kilograms. These can be add-on charges mounted on the top of the drone body.

Its range reaches 10 kilometers, and the range and method of guidance are identical to the “sapper” version for mining

In addition to light drones, the manufacturer also produces Ratel H heavy-wheeled drones capable of transporting up to 1,400 kilograms.