Ukraine's Security Service chief confirms Sea Baby drones have been equipped with Grad multiple rocket launchers – photo
Vasyl Maliuk, the head of Ukraine's Security Service (SSU), has confirmed that Sea Baby uncrewed surface drones have been equipped with Grad multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS), and that Ukraine's Defence Forces have already hit four Russian ships with the upgraded drone.
Source: Maliuk during a summit of the fundraising platform UNITED24, as reported by the SSU press service
Details: Maliuk said the SSU first employed a Sea Baby drone fitted with a Grad MLRS in December 2023, and four Russian ships have been hit in this way.
Another of the main targets, Maliuk emphasised, is the Crimean Bridge, which the SSU has already hit twice using Sea Baby drones.
The drones have been used to hit 11 Russian ships.
Quote: "Our brothers-in-arms from Ukrainian Defence Intelligence and the Navy then joined us. And now we have a lot of trophies. The SSU has struck 11 enemy ships. And we’ve effectively pushed the Russian fleet into the Bay of Novorossiysk. But we’ve even got them there – we hit the large landing ship Olenegorsky Gornyak."
Background:
Sources in Ukraine’s Security Service told Ukrainska Pravda on 22 May that Sea Baby naval drones have been equipped with Grad systems. The upgraded drone has already been tested, taking out Russians on the Kinburn Spit.
Reference: Sea Baby uncrewed surface drones were developed by Ukraine's Security Service. During 2022-2023, SSU drones attacked the Russian frigates Admiral Makarov and Admiral Essen, as well as the minesweeper Ivan Golubets, the patrol ship Ladny, the missile carriers Samum and Buyan, the patrol ship Pavel Derzhavin, the multipurpose tugboat Professor Nikolai Muru, and the large hydrographic survey ship Vladimir Kozitsky.
A Sea Baby can carry 850 kg of explosives, accelerate to 90 kph, and cover a distance of 1,000 km. Its body is made of a material that radar cannot detect.
Each Sea Baby drone costs UAH 8.5 million (approx. US$213,000).
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