Russia's Sirius drone may have been upgraded with US technology from the MQ-9 Reaper shot down over the Black Sea

US technology from the MQ-9 Reaper could be used to improve the Sirisus drone. This is reported in the Russian media, so the information should be taken with a healthy dose of scepticism, or as they say in the UK, with a grain of salt.

Here's What We Know

To begin with, let us recall that the incident with the MQ-9 Reaper took place over the Black Sea in the middle of March this year. Two Russian Su-27 fighters first dropped fuel on the drone and then one of them snagged the drone with its wing. As a result, the US Air Force decided to sink the MQ-9 at sea.

Russian media reports that the military was able to lift the wreckage of the drone and study it. They also write that technology from the MQ-9 Reaper was allegedly able to help refine the Russian Sirius drone. But the source does not go into details.

As for the Russian drone, it made its maiden flight a few weeks ago, although development began in 2019. "Sirius is 9 metres long, has a 20-metre wingspan and a cruising speed of 180km/h.

During flight, the drone can drop KAB-100 bombs, FAB-100 high-explosive bombs, RBK-500U free-fall bombs and ODAP-500PVM volume detonation bombs from heights of up to 7km. Its maximum payload is 450kg.

Source: Tsargrad