Baba Yaga (aircraft)

Last updated

Baba Yaga is the nickname for a Ukrainian drone (also called an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle or UAV) used in drone warfare created in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. [1] [2] It has been described as a "vampire bomber drone." [2] [3]

Contents

Description

Nickname

"Baba Yaga" is a reference to the Slavic mythological creature, Baba Yaga . [1] Baba Yaga is described as a supernatural witch who flies around on a broom. [4] In August, 2023, Chechen soldiers of the Russian armed forces claimed the drone had claws and could abduct soldiers. [5]

Construction

The drone is described as a large hexacopter (6-rotor) drone. [6] [7] It is equipped with an infrared (thermal imaging) camera and able to carry up to a 33-pound rocket warhead. [1] [2]

Agricultural origins

Baba Yaga has been described as originating from an agricultural octocopter. [8] Russian-state media reported use of the drones in the eastern Donbas was based on heavy agricultural drones, and were nicknamed Baba Yaga after "a ferocious old woman." [8]

Use

Baba Yaga was used both as a bomber deploying "mortar-sized munitions" and also as a "mother-ship" drone equipped with a signal repeater, anti-jamming equipment, batteries, and directional antennas. [8] Its ability to function as a signal repeater extended the battery life and range of secondary drones. [9] During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the drones have been used primarily at night. [10]

Capture

In December, 2023, it was reported that Russian forces had captured a Ukrainian Baba Yaga drone operating through the Starlink satellite network. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Koshchei</span> Villain in Russian folklore

Koshchei, also Kashchei often given the epithet "the Immortal", or "the Deathless", is an archetypal male antagonist in Russian folklore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baba Yaga</span> Slavic mythological figure

Baba Yaga is an enigmatic or ambiguous character from Slavic folklore who has two opposite roles. In some motifs she is described as a repulsive or ferocious-looking old woman who fries and eats children, while in others she is a nice old woman, who helps out the hero. She is often associated with forest wildlife. Her distinctive traits are flying around in a mortar, wielding a pestle, and dwelling deep in the forest in a hut standing on chicken legs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tupolev Tu-22M</span> Russian long-range supersonic strategic bomber

The Tupolev Tu-22M is a supersonic, variable-sweep wing, long-range strategic and maritime strike bomber developed by the Tupolev Design Bureau in the 1960s. The bomber was reported as being designated Tu-26 by western intelligence at one time. During the Cold War, the Tu-22M was operated by the Soviet Air Forces (VVS) in a missile carrier strategic bombing role, and by the Soviet Naval Aviation in a long-range maritime anti-shipping role. As of 2021, there were 66 of the aircraft in service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flakpanzer Gepard</span> Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun

The Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer Gepard is an all-weather-capable German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG) based on the hull of the Leopard 1. It was developed in the 1960s, fielded in the 1970s, and has been upgraded several times with the latest electronics. It has been a cornerstone of the air defence of the German Army (Bundeswehr) and a number of other NATO countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alvis Stormer</span> British armoured fighting vehicle

The Alvis Stormer is a military armoured vehicle manufactured by the British company Alvis Vickers, now BAE Systems Land & Armaments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tupolev Tu-141</span> Soviet unmanned aerial vehicle

The Tupolev Tu-141 Strizh is a Soviet reconnaissance drone that served with the Soviet Army during the late 1970s and 1980s, as well as the Ukrainian Armed Forces since 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unmanned surface vehicle</span> Vehicle that operates on the surface of the water without a crew

An unmanned surface vehicle, unmanned surface vessel or uncrewed surface vessel (USV), colloquially called a drone boat, drone ship or sea drone, is a boat or ship that operates on the surface of the water without a crew. USVs operate with various levels of autonomy, from remote control to fully autonomous surface vehicles (ASV).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TOS-1</span> Russian multiple thermobaric rocket launcher

TOS-1 Buratino is a Soviet 220 mm 30-barrel or 24-barrel multiple rocket launcher capable of using thermobaric warheads, mounted on a T-72 / T-90 tank chassis. TOS-1 was designed to attack enemy fortified positions and lightly armored vehicles and transports, particularly in open terrain. The system’s first combat tests took place in 1988 and 1989 in the Panjshir Valley during the Soviet–Afghan War. The TOS-1 was shown for the first time in public in 1999 in Omsk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">42nd Guards Motor Rifle Division</span> Russian Ground Forces formation

The 42nd Guards "Evpatoriyskaya Red Banner" Motor Rifle Division is a Russian military unit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yeysk Airport</span> Airport in Russia

Yeysk Airport is an airport located near the city of Yeysk, Russia.

Chaplynka is a rural settlement in Kakhovka Raion, Kherson Oblast, southern Ukraine. It hosts the administration of the Chaplynka settlement hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. It had a population of 9,415. In early 2022, it came under Russian occupation as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AeroVironment Switchblade</span> American loitering missile

The AeroVironment Switchblade is a miniature loitering munition designed by AeroVironment and used by several branches of the United States military. Small enough to fit in a backpack, the Switchblade launches from a tube, flies to the target area, and crashes into its target while detonating its explosive warhead. The name Switchblade comes from the way the spring-loaded wings are folded up inside a tube and flip out once released.

Drone warfare is a form of aerial warfare or marine warfare using unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAV) or weaponized commercial unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The United States, United Kingdom, Israel, China, South Korea, Iran, Iraq, Italy, France, India, Pakistan, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and Poland are known to have manufactured operational UCAVs as of 2019.

Baba Yaga is a supernatural creature in Slavic mythology, appearing as an old or deformed woman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Ukraine cyberattacks</span> Attack on Ukrainian government and websites

During the prelude to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, multiple cyberattacks against Ukraine were recorded, as well as some attacks on Russia. The first major cyberattack took place on 14 January 2022, and took down more than a dozen of Ukraine's government websites. According to Ukrainian officials, around 70 government websites, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Cabinet of Ministers, and the National and Defense Council (NSDC), were attacked. Most of the sites were restored within hours of the attack. On 15 February, another cyberattack took down multiple government and bank services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aerorozvidka</span> Ukrainian drone warfare unit

Aerorozvidka is a team and NGO that promotes creating and implementing netcentric and robotic military capabilities for the security and defense forces of Ukraine. Aerorozvidka specialises in aerial reconnaissance and drone warfare. It was founded in May 2014 by a team which included Ukrainian battalion commander Natan Chazin. Its founder, Volodymyr Kochetkov-Sukach, was an investment banker who was killed in the Russo-Ukrainian War in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Punisher (drone)</span> Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle

UCAV Punisher is a multifunctional unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), which was developed in 2016 by Ukrainian combat veterans. Since 2019, the system has been supplied to the Ukrainian Armed Forces with funds from philanthropists and the developer's own funds. UCAV Punisher has been officially contracted with the Ukrainian Armed Forces from 18.08.2023. As of 21.12.2023, the manufacturer has fully fulfilled its obligations under the first contract. UCAV Punisher can be used for medical and rescue purposes, as well as for reconnaissance and combat missions behind enemy lines through the use of unguided strike containers of various modifications. UCAV Punisher was designed to perform such tasks as aerial reconnaissance, direct action special operations, logistics and support for special operations, search and rescue, and psychological operations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Starlink in the Russo-Ukrainian War</span> Co-operation between Ukraine and Starlink

In February 2022, two days after Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine requested American aerospace company SpaceX to activate their Starlink satellite internet service in the country to replace internet and communication networks degraded or destroyed during the war. Starlink has since been used by Ukrainian civilians, government and military. The satellite service has served for humanitarian purposes, as well as defense and attacks on Russian positions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">110th Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine)</span> Ukrainian Ground Forces unit

The 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Marko Bezruchko is a brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces formed in 2022. Since then, it has gained notoriety for its part in the Battle of Avdiivka, where it fought for almost two years before being ordered to retreat in February of 2024.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Axe, David. "Baba Yaga Is A Giant Ukrainian Drone That Drops Bombs At Night". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
  2. 1 2 3 Panella, Chris. "Ukraine says its Vampire bomber drone is such a nightmare for Russian troops they call it the 'Baba Yaga,' a mythical evil creature". Business Insider. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
  3. ↑ ""Baba Yaga" destroys the occupiers in Zaporizhzhia: how a Ukrainian drone keeps the enemy at bay". West Observer. 2024-02-20. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
  4. ↑ Harding, Luke (2023-05-12). "'We'll get there': the Ukrainian drone unit quietly knocking out Russian targets". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2024-03-03.
  5. ↑ Quinn, Allison (2023-08-22). "Chechen Fighters: Drones With 'Claws' Abduct Russian Troops". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
  6. ↑ "Baba Yaga Drones Are Delivering Fear to Russian Occupiers in Ukraine - Technology Org". 2023-10-16. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
  7. ↑ "Russian army's nightmare: Ukrainian serviceman tells about Vampire hexacopter". global.espreso.tv. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
  8. 1 2 3 Korshak, Stefan (2024-02-29). "Ukrainian Drone Swarms Controlled by 'Baba Yaga' Robot Aircraft, Russian Sources Claim". Kyiv Post. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
  9. ↑ "Ukrainian forces invent innovative method to attack Russian rear facilities — video". english.nv.ua. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
  10. ↑ "Ukraine's Vampire Drones Terrorize Moscow's Forces". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. 2024-02-05. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
  11. ↑ "Russians Reprogramming Captured Ukrainian Starlink-Controlled Baba Yaga Drones". www.defensemirror.com. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.