Ukraine starts producing Rubaka 'kamikaze' drone

This is reported by Defense Express.

There is currently no information about the manufacturer of the new UAV. It is also not yet known what the likely production rate is.

Instead, there are indications that the Rubaka 'kamikaze' drones are planned to be used by units of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate. The cost of one copy is about USD 15,000 (UAH 550,000).

The declared range of the drones will be up to 500 km. Estimates of the weight of the warhead range from 2-5 kg to 15 kg.

The publication notes that the very fact that such a 'kamikaze' drone is at the disposal of the Ukrainian Defense Forces looks interesting not only because the military industry is expanding its UAV production line, but also because of some specific design elements of the Rubaka drone.

First of all, this is the only 'kamikaze' drone in the world where the propeller powerplant is installed in the nose, not the tail, of the fuselage. This decision was probably due to the peculiarity of the engine for small aircraft, which is clearly used on such a 'kamikaze' drone.

In addition, the Rubaka drone does not have an optoelectronic station. This may mean that such an aircraft is designed to strike targets with known coordinates and has an inertial guidance system. The presence of an air pressure sensor in the right wing tip indicates that this is the type of guidance system used.

The fundraising for new Ukrainian-made drones was organized by actor and blogger Vladyslav Shevchenko. He launched a fundraiser for 18 such drones for the Main Intelligence Directorate to get them to the front line as soon as possible. To do this, Ukrainians have to donate UAH 10 million.

An intelligence representative said in the video that these drones are already being actively used by the agency and they "have shown themselves very well."

Drone production in Ukraine

In March, the government adopted a resolution that will speed up mass production of drones in Ukraine, their purchase and delivery to the front line.

On July 21, it became known that the Cabinet of Ministers had approved a pilot project for the production, procurement, and supply of ammunition and combat parts for drones. The project will last for two years.

The Defense Ministry has reported that since February 22, 2022, Ukraine has adopted 28 models of drones of its own production. Among all models, there are 9 'kamikaze' drones.

On July 25, Ukraine launched mass production of its own unmanned aerial reconnaissance system Sirko. Soon, the manufacturer will present a new version of the drone.

Later, a new Ukrainian maritime unmanned vehicle MAGURA V5 was presented at the International Defense Industry Fair. Its range is approximately 833 km.

On July 26, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced that the government had allocated UAH 40 billion this year to invest in Ukrainian-made drones.