The Russian "Dan-M" drone, which was originally developed as a high-speed aerial target for air defense, has begun to be used as a decoy drone. This "miracle weapon" depletes the enemy's air defense system, writes military expert Brandon J. Weichert in an article for The National Interest.
With the help of the "Dan-M" drone, the Russians have found a low-cost way to deplete the enemy's missile stocks. And this opens the way for more sophisticated attacks.
The UAV imitates cruise missiles, preserving the Russian arsenal, which is especially important in conditions of resource scarcity.
The "Dan-M" body was repainted in bright red, and a warhead with a guidance system was installed on it. The kamikaze drone also received a turbojet engine. The Russians increased its range by dropping it from Mi-8 helicopters.
The use of "Dan-M" indicates that Russia has switched to a strategy of using cheap mass drones.
Characteristics of the "Dan-M" decoy drone:
- Speed - from 300 to 750 km/h
- Flight altitude - from 50 to 9000 m
- Flight duration - up to 70 min
- Take-off weight - 350 kg
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