The Italmas drone was spotted with a Soviet extended adhesive mine UPM – foreign observers reported a new variant of the device's equipment. Previously, the UPM was used as a specialized munition for hitting ships and underwater metal structures.
The mine weighs 14.6 kg, with almost half of the mass being explosives – 7 kg. The UPM is designed to damage and disable small and medium-tonnage vessels, as well as underwater metal elements of hydraulic structures.
The munition's design allows for direct installation on the target's surface. The fuse allows setting the activation time within a wide range – from 15 minutes to 40 days, so the mine may not detonate immediately after installation.
For the Italmas kamikaze drone, such a payload is interesting primarily due to the combination of the munition's mass and purpose. The drone gains the ability to carry a specialized mine, originally created for use against naval and hydraulic objects.
Read more on the topic:
- 40 parts from the US, Switzerland, and Taiwan found in Russian Italmas kamikaze drones with Starlink
- Rare Italmas kamikaze drone spotted in photos: capable of flying 200 km
- First Footage of Rare "Italmas" Kamikaze Drone Emerges Before Combat Launch