Necessity awakens the imagination and a good example of this is how Ukraine continues to improvise weapons using old technology. A new example of this approach is the integration of Soviet-era RPG-18 Mukha rocket launchers into FPV drones or First Person View. The new drone has been seen in images published by the Belarusian media Nexta, in a video titled “Testing of a Ukrainian FPV drone with an RPG-18 grenade launcher”.
The RPG-18 is a portable anti-tank rocket launcherdeveloped by the Soviet Union and introduced in the 1970s. Designed as a weapon disposable and single-useonly requires one operator and shoots a 64mm rocket with a shaped charge warhead able to penetrate up to 300 mm of conventional armor. Its effectiveness against targets protected with explosive reactive armor, WAS for its acronym in English, resistant to HEAT anti-tank ammunition or composite armor is minor.
Tests of Ukrainian FPV drone with RPG-18 grenade launcher pic.twitter.com/60Gbqwfa5Q
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) September 10, 2024
However, its main disadvantage is its limited range. from 135 to 150 meters and the lack of a guidance systemThese characteristics require the operator to get close to the target to successfully engage armored vehicles, making them vulnerable to counterattacks.
To overcome these difficulties, the Ukrainian forces have resorted to an ingenious solution by mounting the RPG-18 on FPV drones that They are operated remotely. This method allows the weapon to be deployed without exposing the operatorwhile improving the accuracy of attacks.
According to Interesting Engineering, the drone is Equipped with a state-of-the-art guidance system and a high-resolution nano camera. Ukraine could use it as an affordable solution to attack Russian tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and howitzers in short-range operations.
Drones, thanks to their maneuverability, can approach the target and fire the rocket from a safe distance, significantly reducing the danger to Ukrainian troops. In addition, the drone could reused after completing your mission, depending on your status.
The use of these RPG-18-equipped drones suggests that Ukraine has a significant stock of these weaponsinherited from the Soviet era. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine, like other post-Soviet states, was able to retain a large amount of military equipment of the time, including RPG-18s.
The integration of RPG-18s into drones is another step in the evolution of modern military tactics, in whichtheDrones play a central roleThis combination helps overcome the weapon’s limited range, allowing it to be used at distance against armoured vehicles or fortified positions while minimising the risks to Ukrainian soldiers.