Russia upgrades jet-powered drones for strikes on Ukraine: Major General Romanenko reveals enemy plans
Russian forces are increasingly using jet-powered drones in the war against Ukraine. While these UAVs currently have limited range and carry smaller warheads due to high fuel consumption, the enemy is already working to increase their power and flight distance.
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Russian jet-powered drones
Russia is expanding the use of jet-powered drones in its war against Ukraine, while simultaneously upgrading them to make them more destructive.
This was stated by retired Lieutenant General Ihor Romanenko, founder of the «Close the Sky Over Ukraine» charity fund, in a broadcast on the Kyiv24 TV channel.
According to him, the key difference between jet-powered drones and conventional piston-engine UAVs (such as Shahed-type drones) lies in their engine design, which significantly affects performance.
The military expert noted that jet engines require substantially more fuel, which creates major design limitations currently facing Russian engineers. Due to high fuel consumption, these drones have reduced range. In addition, a significant portion of their weight is taken up by fuel, limiting the payload capacity.
However, according to Romanenko, Russia’s defense industry is actively working to overcome these limitations. Engineers are currently focusing on two main directions: increasing flight range and enhancing warhead power.
«The enemy is trying to change this. Russia is working to increase both the range and the explosive payload, ” the retired lieutenant general warned.
The increased speed of jet-powered drones could complicate the work of Ukrainian mobile air defense groups, meaning Ukraine’s defense forces are closely monitoring the development of these weapons in order to counter them effectively.