Ukraine shows combat-tested armament at DSEI 2023

On display in the Ukrainian pavilion at DSEI 2023 were Punisher and FP-1 combat UAVs, as well the Jet 8 FPV drone family, a TAHA-1200 evacuation vehicle and Magura V5 USV.

According to a manufacturer's representative, the Punisher UAV has already conducted more than 10,000 combat missions. The aircraft can operate at a range of up to 45km and use its unguided UB-75 bombs (HE and HEAT versions available) from an altitude of up to 400m. 

This is possible due to a software package working as a ballistic calculator. The relatively high altitude of bombing (especially compared to modified commercial drones) in combination with a high-quality satellite navigation antenna provides Punisher with a good level of resistance to jamming.

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The Jet 8 FPV drone family consists of three variants, Saber, Night Saber and Boxer. The first two are used as loitering munitions and have a speed of 120km/h in attack mode, with a maximum payload of 2kg. 

The Boxer is used for dropping munitions and has a lower speed (100km/h) but longer endurance – 16 minutes versus 13 for the Sabers. According to the developer, each drone's production cost is only about $800, while on the front line up to 60% of launches are successful. The Company's philosophy is to almost fully replace bullets with FPV-drones.

Another drone on show, the FP-1, has a combat range of up to 700km; it uses satellite navigation only and can be used to attack static targets deep into enemy territory. Its endurance is six hours and cruising speed is 140km/h, while the maximum take-off weight is 178kg with a 50kg max payload.

The Magura V5 USV is being regularly used against the Russian Navy in the Black Sea. The length and width of the USV are 5.5 and 1.5m respectively, while the payload is 360kg. The craft has a cruising speed of 22kt and maximum speed of 42kt. The range of Magura is 450km and it can use radio or SATCOM terminals for communication.

Lastly, the TAHA-1200 evacuation vehicle is operated by Ukrainian special forces. Currently eight of the lightly armoured 4x4s are being combat tested in the Russo-Ukrainian War. The platform can function effectively under a range of challenging environmental conditions, including smoke, fog, rain, extreme heat, and stormy weather. It can operate within a temperature range of -40°C to +45°C. 

The vehicle has significant off-road capacity and can overcome obstacles such as fallen trees, swamps, marshes, shifting dunes, rugged terrain with stones and rocks and scattered debris fields, as well as navigating through snow and ice. It also boasts the ability to traverse rivers of varying depths. 

TAHA-1200 has a maximum speed of 40km/h, maximum speed on water of 6km/h and can overcome obstacles of up to 1m high.