Photo: Ministry of Defence of Ukraine/Facebook
The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine has officially codified and approved the Black Widow unmanned aerial vehicle system for army deployment.
This was reported by the Ministry of Defence.
According to the ministry, the Black Widow is a tactical-level drone. It’s capable of being used both day and night by an experienced pilot. Additionally, the reusable quadcopter can function in the FPV (First-Person View) strike format.
«The relatively low price of each drone allows it to be deployed in this way. The Black Widow, when configured as a single-use drone, can carry an enhanced explosive charge,» the statement said.
The MoD has also codified and adopted a remote-action hand-held offensive grenade. It serves as an analogue to the Soviet F-1.
«This Ukrainian-made ammunition meets the standards of modern close-combat weapons. This type of grenade has never been produced in Ukraine before.»
It is noted that the hand-held defensive fragmentation grenade is designed to neutralize openly positioned enemy personnel. Due to its powerful effect, it should only be used from cover.
Earlier, the Ministry codified and approved the domestic armoured personnel carrier, Khorunzhyi, for delivery to the Armed Forces. The Khorunzhyi is the result of a deep modernization of the Soviet BTR-60.
«The Khorunzhyi armoured personnel carrier can be produced in six configurations: a standard armoured personnel carrier, a troop carrier, a medical evacuation vehicle, a repair and recovery vehicle, a command and staff vehicle, and a self-propelled mortar vehicle.»
The hull of the Ukrainian armoured personnel carrier is reportedly made of high-quality Finnish steel. It enhances ballistic protection without adding extra weight. The hull offers perimeter protection against 7.62 mm bullets with steel cores, and the frontal armour can withstand shots from a large-calibre machine gun at a range of 10 meters.
The vehicle’s hull design and special mine-resistant seats provide protection for troops from explosive devices equivalent to six kilograms of TNT.
«The Khorunzhyi is significantly more powerful than the BTR-60. Instead of two 90-horsepower petrol engines, it is equipped with a 330-horsepower diesel engine mounted at the front. This enables the combat vehicle to reach speeds exceeding 80 km/h, and the fuel tanks provide a range of over 500 kilometers.»
The Ministry of Defence added that the new APC is equipped with modern electronics, video surveillance cameras, an air conditioning system, and an autonomous generator that allows the vehicle to operate when the engine is off.
The Khorunzhyi is also armed with a combat module that can be fitted with either a 14.5 mm machine gun or a 30×113 mm cannon.