What happens in 2025? / new tactics- new technologies

[MarkSheppard]

Sooooo lots of new changes in drones

https://x.com/GrandpaRoy2/status/1831552322855694653

Ukrainian drones now have flamethrowers; using some sort of thermite/incendiary mixture that's ignited and drops downwards. Videos of this have been dropping for the last few days.

https://x.com/Osinttechnical/status/1831533554502668788

Another Ukrainian drone group mounted an AK-74 to their drone and used it for strafing runs.

[DRG]

If a use can be imagined with existing technology, it can be built

That's a LOT of fuel being carried by the Dragons breath drones

[Dion]

It's official, dragons do indeed walk the earth again. Can't wait for my favorite military platform the USS Zillagod (that's Godzilla spelled differently to protect the innocent, the greatest warship ever built).

[DRG]

There is a video claiming Russia is testing these drones

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBgcTJ15-w0

The Russian Army is currently testing Ukraine's "Dragon's Breath" FPV drones, which are designed to deploy thermite incendiary munitions. These munitions can reach temperatures exceeding 2,400 degrees Celsius and typically consist of iron oxide and aluminum powders. Known for their extreme heat capabilities, these drones are used by Ukrainian forces to inflict severe damage on Russian equipment. The testing of these drones by Russia highlights the evolving tactics in the Ukraine conflict, with both sides increasingly relying on advanced drone warfare. The use of thermite munitions introduces a new dimension to the military operations.

So it's powder not liquid fuel which would be lighter

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidha...vorite-weapon/

Military specialists will recognize the type of munition. There is no explosion, and no dense white smoke as there is from phosphorus incendiaries. The other tell-tale sign is that it burns hot enough to go through metal. This is thermite.

Usually made of a mixture of powdered iron oxide (rust) and aluminum, burning thermite is a popular high school science demonstration. It burns because the oxygen in the rust is more attracted to aluminum than iron, so it does not need external oxygen and will burn underwater.

[whdonnelly]

Send in the sky robots to drop obscurants, provide jamming, fire weapons, and conduct multispectrum surveillance in one mission.

https://www.defense-aerospace.com/us...ray-eagle-uav/

[MarkSheppard]

https://x.com/Archer83Able/status/1833531158120042956

The testing of a Ukrainian FPV drone with attached Soviet-made RPG-22 portable rocket launcher.

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https://x.com/sambendett/status/1795492346987249962

https://x.com/JohnH105/status/1836817022006743063

Ukraine has now operationalized a UGV "FURY" with a RPK as it's primary weapon, it seems.

"A Ukrainian UGV from the 8th SSO Regiment's 1st Detachment avoiding anti-tank mines and firing at a Russian position on the eastern outskirts of Volfino, Kursk Oblast (51.25818, 34.48546), which Ukrainian troops also targeted with mortar & FPV strikes. The UGV survives multiple RPG & FPV drone strikes yet reportedly survived."

[DRG]

[quote=MarkSheppard;856833]https://x.com/Archer83Able/status/1833531158120042956

The testing of a Ukrainian FPV drone with attached Soviet-made RPG-22 portable rocket launcher.

Seeing it actually launch and how it reacts to the backblast would have been nice

[DRG]

If anyone finds the Lyut's speed let me know

[MarkSheppard]

You could calculate it from footage of it online:

https://x.com/NOELreports/status/1836797647736176962

At 0:27 in that video you see it moving through a minefield of AT mines -- you could estimate it's speed by seeing how long it takes to pass each AT mine?

[DRG]

I gave it 8 until I get a source that gives the info. I think 24kph a bit optimistic but it's a start