Summary Ukraine uses new "Palyanytsia" jet drone successfully against Russia. "Palyanytsia" blurs line between missiles and UAVs - speed of 430 km/h. Russia modifies Yak-52 trainers to counter Ukraine's slower drones.
Ukraine has announced it has successfully used a new jet-propelled drone called the "Palyanytsia" against Russia. "Drone" is something of a colloquial word to describe a diverse range of unmanned aerial systems ranging from one-way attack munitions (like this new jet-powered drone) to futuristic sophisticated platforms like the Collaborative Combat Aircraft being developed for the US Air Force. Meanwhile, Russia is now known to be modifying Yak-52 trainers to shoot down (slower) Ukrainian drones .
Ukraine uses new "Palyanytsia" jet drone against Russia On August 24, 2024, Noel Reports reported , " Today, President Zelenskyi announced the successful first combat use of the Ukrainian missile-drone Palyanytsia. 'It is a drone — and it is a missile, because according to its tactical and technical characteristics, the product falls under both definitions,' the ministry of strategic industries added ." Footage has recently emerged on social media showing Ukraine testing a new jet-propelled drone.
Ukraine is known to have been experimenting with a variety of jet-propelled drones. Later, Ukrainian war blogger PS01 wrote on X (formerly Twitter), " The official video of the new drone missile Palyanytsia announced by President Zelensky yesterday It is very different in design and capabilities from the video published by some accounts yesterday, which showed a prototype of another development (drone jet )." According to the graphic, the drone has a speed of 430 kilometers per hour (267 mph).
Ukraine also claims it was developed in just an year and a half and some two dozen Russian air bases are within its range. Ukraine was one of the epicenters of the Soviet Union and was the home to Antonov. Ukraine is one of the very few countries in the world with the ability to produce jet engines (so it could come as little surprise that Ukraine is developing jet-propelled drones).
Jet drones like this blur the line between missiles and UAVs (drones). Ukraine has now demonstrated the ability to take out high-flying Russian drones with other drones, which is a potentially important development. Ukraine's quest for better drones Ukraine faces many issues when it comes to striking Russian targets inside Russia - especially time-sensitive targets.
The United States is known to restrain Ukraine from using donated Western missiles (like ATACMS and even Anglo-French Storm Shadow/SCALP missiles) from striking Russian air bases inside Russia. Fighting with a proverbial hand tied behind its back, Ukraine has been forced to innovate and find ways to drive the Russian Air Force from the battlefield. Ukraine has been designing and building many types of drones to hit Russian air bases.
As Ukrainian drone technology improves, it has been hitting Russian air bases deeper and deeper inside of Russia. However, in war, the enemy always has a vote and will adapt. At first, Russia was (bizarrely) seen putting tires on their parted aircraft and painting jets on the tarmac.
Russia is also constantly improving its air defense around its air bases (including electronic warfare). Even though Russian air defense is formidable, some drones will often jet through. The massive difference in cost between drones and fighter jets means spending hundreds of drones to destroy just one fighter jet can be worthwhile.
Notably, Ukraine recently destroyed or seriously damaged a Russian fifth-generation Su-57 Felon on the ground using drones (possibly the first fifth-generation fighter lost in combat). Ukraine's new drones have once again broken their record and struck a Russian refinery almost as far as the Urals. Russian jets flee air bases ahead of drone strikes Some of the major disadvantages of drones are that they are not stealthy (or at least the cheap ones seen in this war) and they are slow.
This means they can be seen, and the Russians have time to react. In a scene reminiscent of the Battle of Britain, Russia is now known to scramble its jets and fly them out of the air base before the drones can arrive. Recent successful Ukrainian strikes on Russian airbases have destroyed a number of valuable Russian Su-34 fighter bombers on the ground.
However, it seems that these were non-optional aircraft that could not be scrambled to safety. While it is still painful for Russia to lose its finite and expensive Su-34 airframes (even if they are not operational), it is not the same as destroying Russia's operational fleet. Some accounts pointed out that the Su-34 Russia lost in the Ukrainian attack on its Morozovsk Air Base in Crimea lacked an engine.
Satellite images show several Russian fighter jets were damaged or destroyed at Marinovka Air Base. The open-source intelligence account, The Military Watch , counted around 6 aircraft - but later reduced that to 5. It is possible none of these aircraft were operational at the time of the strike.
Time will tell what impact this new "Palyanysia" drone will have on the battlefield. But if it can be effectively used, it will likely give Russian fighter jets and other sensitive targets much less time to react and potentially make them much more difficult for air defense to shoot down..
