Ukraine's newest weapon is dirt cheap and deadly simple

©picture alliance / dts-Agentur | dts Nachrichtenagentur GmbH

Ukraine is using balloons in increasingly inventive ways to strike deeper into Russia. One of the most striking new developments is DART, a guided missile that is not fired from an aircraft or launch pad, but is released from a balloon at the edge of the stratosphere.

According to the Ukrainian developer, the Center of Innovative Technologies Program, the missile is released from the balloon at an altitude of approximately 12 to 18 kilometers. A navigation system then guides the weapon downward to an altitude of about 6 kilometers, at which point the navigation system shuts down and a solid-fuel motor completes the flight path. This is intended to prevent Russian electronic warfare systems from diverting the projectile from its course.

DART is small and relatively light: the missile is about 1.84 meters long and weighs 13 kilograms, while the warhead can weigh between 3.5 and 10 kilograms, depending on the version. According to the developers, the warhead may contain graphite, intended to disrupt power grids. The missile has not yet been officially classified by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, but it would be eligible for such classification.

The balloons themselves, incidentally, are by no means a new tool on the battlefield. Ukraine has been using them for some time for reconnaissance, deception, and communication, and it is estimated that more than a thousand have been sent into Russian airspace. Because they are inexpensive, difficult to detect on radar, and can remain airborne for long periods, they sometimes force Russian air defenses to fire expensive interceptor missiles at a much cheaper target.

The wind is against Russia

The latest development is that the balloon now also serves as a carrier for attack weapons. A video had previously been circulated showing an American Hornet drone being released from a Ukrainian balloon, which significantly increased the drone’s range. With this, Ukraine is once again taking a step forward in its campaign involving medium- and long-range missiles and drones. This further increases the pressure on Moscow and the Kremlin to push them toward negotiations.

Russia is also monitoring the technical developments of the resourceful Ukrainian military, but is benefiting less from the wind direction. After all, the dominant west-to-east air currents in this section of the front line primarily work to Ukraine’s advantage.

©picture alliance / dts-Agentur | dts Nachrichtenagentur GmbH