Kyiv has advanced its drone capabilities with a new sea drone that, unlike earlier models designed to ram warships with explosive charges, is now equipped with missiles, enabling it to target aircraft.
The Magura V7 is a drone boat equipped with a pair of AIM-9M Sidewinder infrared-guided air-to-air missiles, repurposed for use as surface-to-air interceptors.
Originally, sea drones were deployed to strike warships by swarming toward them and detonating half-tonne explosive charges upon impact with the hulls. In response, Russian forces began using helicopters to locate and destroy the drones, prompting Ukraine to seek alternative tactics, according to the Ukrainian military.
The V7’s missile system circumvents this defenve by directly engaging aerial threats.
Last month, the system reportedly shot down two Russian Su-30 fighter jets – marking what is believed to be the first successful combat use of a drone boat to destroy a manned aircraft, according to Ukrainian sources and independent analysts.
