The drone that surprised the war in Ukraine may reach the MAZAT

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, the Russian army has been hiding in islands of woods in the agricultural land of the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, in ditches, fortified trenches and underground bunkers. Now, a new weapon threatens to incinerate them in their place and cause more damage than a standard drone dropping grenades or mortar bombs does today.

This is the “Dragon Drone”, which was developed in Ukraine earlier this year, was adopted by the fighting forces starting in August and meanwhile has already been imitated by Russia. In the last month, the deadly drone became Ukraine’s big surprise, when it was discovered that it is being used by it to burn and destroy Russian tanks and attack manned positions.

carrying a deadly incendiary

Dragon drones are drones that carry a container containing thermite – an extremely deadly incendiary that includes a mixture of iron oxide with aluminum powder. Igniting the material creates a hot reaction that reaches a very high temperature of about 2,500 degrees Celsius during which the mixture turns into metal.

Thanks to the ability to burn like this for long minutes, the Ukrainian drone pilots are able to throw the hot metal like a torch into the forests and cause huge fires, make sure that armored vehicles or positions burn to the ground, or at least until secondary explosions are created that destroy them.

The combination of the searing heat of the thermite and the maneuverability and speed of the glider makes it a particularly deadly and useful weapon. Since the incendiary material may eventually also destroy the drone from which it is thrown, inexpensive drones, also known as disposable drones, are generally used.

As mentioned, the power of the drone was already revealed last summer when it appeared over a grove on the battlefield in eastern Ukraine and a trail of fire was emitted from the aircraft. The fire spread within seconds to the entire length of the forest and destroyed the Russian soldiers and vehicles that were hiding there from the Ukrainian army.

Produces a psychological effect on soldiers

“It is a means of combat whose purpose is to create a fire that drives away the enemy and cleanses the area, no different from what other means of fire have done throughout history, such as the oil barrels in the ancient wars, the torches in World War II or the napalm in the Vietnam War,” says Hagai Belshai, CEO of the Robotican drone company. which stands behind the hybrid drone “Rooster” that is in the service of the IDF.

However, unlike the napalm, the dragon glider can, by flying for a few minutes, drop the liquid metal right over the ditch where soldiers are hiding and cause greater damage by the way. On top of that, the liquid metal is able to penetrate through the cuts of armored vehicles, reach their driver’s compartment or the ammunition contained in them and, by the way, cause the vehicle to explode.

For the soldiers, the incendiary substance, known as thermite, can cause severe burns and in most cases a fatal injury. Because of this, it is a threatening factor that produces a severe psychological effect on the soldiers. While suicide drones are occasionally chased away by soldiers in Ukraine and thus their lives are saved, many of them have no chance against the dragon drone.

“Less effective in Be’er Sheva or Gaza”

The Dragon glider has not yet arrived in the Middle East and the war of iron swords, but according to Belshai it is only a matter of time until terrorist organizations adopt it. “This is not a weapon that changes the battlefield or a strategic threat, but it could be another tool in the arsenal of the other side against us,” he says. “It can reach relatively short ranges of 5-10 km and a relatively slow flight speed and requires great skill in controlling it to hit the target. It is effective in the forests of Ukraine but less so in the deserts of Beer Sheva or Gaza. However, in the thickets of Lebanon or in the weapons caches hidden in orchards and orchards, in gathering areas in groves or sheds, it may be effective.”

Already today, the IDF uses incendiary materials for firing chaff – fired from planes designed to mislead the enemy’s radar, or by firing phosphorus bombs for the purpose of masking the image of the battle or exposing thickets, as has been the case in southern Lebanon in recent months – but not for the purposes of shooting at civilians or soldiers.

Although the use of thermite against civilians is illegal, international law does not prohibit the use of incendiary materials against soldiers or military vehicles. At the same time, while Ukraine uses thermite against Russia, and Russia even drops thermite bombs on the civilian population, as is the case in Wahlder and Hammot, the IDF refrains from using incendiary bombs in the fight against terrorist organizations – except for the purposes of uncovering cover or masking.