Ukraine strikes Grozny with a converted A-22 sports plane

On Sunday, 15 December, a Ukrainian converted sports plane struck a Russian special forces base in Grozny, Chechnya, some 960 km from the front line in Ukraine.

Here's What We Know

The attack was carried out using Aeropract A-22 propeller-driven sport aircraft, which the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine has converted into attack drones. These $90,000 aircraft are equipped with additional fuel tanks, remote control systems and explosives.

Video footage from the Grozny strike shows a drone with opaque covers over the cockpit, which in a normal manned configuration is designed for two people. In one of the shots, the aircraft's registration number is visible in a masked form.

The strike created a fireball, but the extent of the damage was less than that of specialised munitions such as Storm Shadow cruise missiles. It is likely that the drone had a simpler warhead, which is effective against weakly defended targets, but not against armoured or underground targets.

The Aeropract A-22 sports drone aircraft can reach speeds of up to 200 km per hour, sacrificing speed for range. Such devices are used to strike weakly defended but remote targets, while more powerful munitions such as Storm Shadow or Neptune are reserved for more protected targets.

Source: Forbes