There are about ten bajillion reasons I would not want to be in the Russian military, and the United States is about to provide number ten bajillion and one:
The Ukrainian military will soon begin tracking and attacking Russian forces with a secret new "suicide drone" produced by Aevex Aerospace, a little-known Solana Beach company that has considerable experience with unmanned aerial systems.
The Biden administration is sending 121 of the company's Phoenix Ghost drones to Ukraine, where they will are expected to get heavy use in the eastern part of the country. Russian forces have regrouped there and are somewhat exposed in flat, open territory similar to California's Central Valley.
"...open territory similar to California's Central Valley." Ahh very good, then the drones will feel right at home.
Here's how this sucker is reputed to work:
Defense analysts say it appears the Phoenix Ghost will loiter in the sky, quietly looking for targets. Once it finds one, the drone goes into a dive and rams the object, setting off its explosive warhead. Analysts speculate that it is a comparatively small weapon that could be hard to see against the cloud cover that shrouds much of Ukraine in late April and in May.
So the terrain is like the Central Valley and the sky is like Seattle. That's what we like to call a "West Coast combo." It's good drone conditions.
In any case, the particulars of the drone remain shrouded in mystery:
The vehicle's specific size, shape, payloads and capabilities haven't be disclosed. Nor has any one explained the origin of the drone's name.
So we don't know exactly how powerful it is but you KNOW this thing is gnarly.
Heads up over there.
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