Ukraine Appears To Be Using Light Planes Converted Into Reusable Bomber Drones
The nearly intact Skyranger plane crashed with a bomb attached to its underside and clear indications that it was remotely piloted.
Images posted on a Russian Telegram channel of an inverted but intact crashed light airplane appear to indicate that Ukraine may have converted it into a remotely operated bomber. While we have previously written about Ukraine converting light aircraft into kamikaze drones, this appears to be the first time one was adapted into a reusable weapon that can have kinetic effects by dropping ordnance, not crashing into a target and detonating.
A half-dozen photos posted on the Warhistoryalconafter Telegram channel Thursday show a Skyranger light Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) aircraft that appears to have been modified for remote control operation.
Having a reusable but attritable (cheap enough to be sacrificed in combat) remotely piloted aircraft capable of dropping standard air-to-ground high-explosive ordnance would be a significant capability boost for Ukraine. Using these drones for closer-range missions into Russian-controlled territory or into border areas in Russia itself would make perfect sense. The system could potentially also be utilized for autonomous strikes in a kamikaze mode for longer-range missions against high-value targets.
