Ukraine is significantly increasing the production of long-range kamikaze attack drones. This includes, in particular, the AN-196 «Lyutyy», which plays a key role in delivering strikes against Russian military and strategic targets. President Volodymyr Zelensky demonstrated the mass production line for these drones to the head of the NATO Military Committee, Defense Blog reports.
Since the beginning of 2024, Ukrainian forces have received more than 6 000 long-range drones, most of which — AN-196 «Feb». The drone, presented by Ukroboronprom in October 2022, has a combat mass of over 200 kg and is capable of carrying a 75-kilogram warhead to a distance of over 1 000 km.
The first confirmed combat flight of «Feb» took place on May 3, 2023 — the drone successfully hit a Russian oil terminal in the village of Volna on the Taman Peninsula. By August 2023, the Ukrainian military received the first serial batch of these UAVs, after which strikes on Russia's critical infrastructure began.
The drone is built according to the low-wing scheme with a double-spar tail fin, made of composite materials – fiberglass reinforced with epoxy resin, and metal mesh. Its main part is equipped with an inertial navigation system with satellite correction, which allows it to autonomously find targets with high accuracy.
The AN-196 «Feb» has already proven its effectiveness in delivering strikes on military airfields, oil depots and other important facilities deep behind enemy lines. Further expansion of the production of these drones will significantly enhance Ukraine's capabilities in long-range warfare, changing the balance of power in the region.