Bullseye! How Explosive “Darts” Turn Russian Positions Into Nightmares

Anyone carrying a passport with a double-headed freak on its cover and turning up on Ukrainian land with a weapon in hand automatically signs up for a game with lethal consequences. That, it seems, is exactly what the creators of the Ukrainian drone “Darts” had in mind when they chose its name.

These infernal “darts” are already in active service with one of the international units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. We spoke with their UAV expert — callsign “White,” instantly recognizable by his Cossack forelock — to learn how this system consistently spoils the day for enemy equipment and fortified positions:

“Darts” is a fixed-wing kamikaze strike drone capable of flying an average distance of 50 to 70 kilometers, depending on the weight of its payload. The aircraft is equipped with two cameras, one of which is used for terminal guidance onto the target.”

As White notes, this technology allows the drone to operate beyond the limits of the radio horizon and to outplay enemy electronic warfare systems that densely saturate the front line:

“This camera, together with specialized equipment, takes over control during the final phase of the flight. At the moment when the target is already locked, but manual guidance becomes difficult, the drone finishes the job on its own.”

But the challenges that “Darts” poses to Russian electronic warfare units go far beyond that:

“This platform is highly effective against static targets. First and foremost, electronic warfare towers. But also warehouses, buildings, trains, and vehicles that were “parked improperly.”

To make this explosive “dart” a genuine nightmare to enemy logistics, White and his fellow UAV specialists operate a workshop where factory-built drones are modified and prepared for frontline combat:

“We add a few things of our own. Every modification slightly increases the odds. It might be a micro-adjustment — but in the end, those tiny advantages are what add up to a positive result.”

Want to be like White? Sure, you could grow the same impressive Cossack moustache. But a far more practical move is to join the ranks of the Ukrainian army’s drone operators — and help ensure that invaders from the northeast find no peace, day or night.

Text: Dmytro Tolkachov

Photo, video, editing: Volodymyr Patola