This footage shows the helmet-cam perspective of a crew member on a Russian KA-29 helicopter as they engage and destroy a Ukrainian drone boat armed with an air-to-air missile. Videos from the Russian perspective are comparatively rare, and videos featuring maritime drones are rarer still.

The Ukrainian drone was reportedly armed with at least two R-73 (NATO reporting name: Archer) missiles. It allegedly fired one missile at a passing MI-8 and missed, alerting Russian forces to its presence and causing it to be dealt with as seen here. The R-73 appears to be struck by the KA-29’s machine gun fire, causing it to detonate.

While airborne drones are ubiquitous in the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, ground-based drones are beginning to catch up as both sides field models designed for clearing trenches or making heavier firepower more portable. However, to date, maritime drones have been rarer, and almost entirely kamikaze-style. The marriage of naval drones with offensive weaponry represents an evolution in drone warfare, which, while not entirely unexpected, illustrates the growing prevalence of remote/automated warfare systems across all four domains. The R-73 “Archer” missile has been used by a plethora of countries since its introduction in the 1980s, and fielding it via drone allows it to remain viable in a low-cost, low-risk application.

 

About the Author

 

       

     

Cole Simms

     

Cole Simms is an Air Guardsman, NASA enthusiast, police officer, and security contractor with particular experience in austere environments. Outside of work, he volunteers as a Stop The Bleed instructor for area schools. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and blends his knowledge and experience to write analysis for Funker530.

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