Regardless.

This is coolbet:

The Jordanian speaks!

“' We will shoot down any drone or missile that enters our airspace, ' . . . ' These targets will be fired upon regardless of whether they are Iranian or Israeli. We will not allow anyone to endanger the security of Jordan and the lives of its citizens.' ”

Golly! Fancy such a thing like that. 

A sovereign nation wants to protect their airspace! Golly!

"Jordan intends to shoot down both Iranian and Israeli drones"

From https://www-anti--spiegel-ru | April 14, 2024.

"Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi said Jordan can protect its interests"

"BEIRUT, April 14./ Jordan is able to protect its interests in a situation where escalation threatens all Middle Eastern countries and the escalation of the conflict in the Gaza Strip into a regional war could become a reality. This was reported by the television station Al Mamlaka TV, citing Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi."

See previous blog entry as applicable! Think not pro-Israel and anti-Palestinian! Think rather for the sake of Jordan!

coolbert.

Ballistics.

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Israeli air defense 99 % effective? Does sound too good to be true?

"IDF: 99% of the 300 or so projectiles fired by Iran at Israel overnight were intercepted"

From Times of Israel ^ | 4/14/24 | Emanuel Fabian | the tip from Freeper.

"IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari says 99% of the 300 or so projectiles fired by Iran at Israel overnight were intercepted by air defenses."

"He says Iran launched 170 drones at Israel, and not one entered Israeli airspace. They were all downed outside of the country’s borders by Israel and its allies."

"Another 30 cruise missiles were launched, and not a single one entered Israeli airspace, he says. According to Hagari, 25 of them were downed by the Israeli Air Force."

"In addition, Hagari says Iran fired 120 ballistic missiles at Israel. Some of the missiles managed to bypass Israel’s defenses, hitting the Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel."

"Hagari says slight damage was caused to infrastructure at Nevatim, but the airbase is running as usual."

"Additionally, he says, a handful of drones and missiles were launched from Iraq and Yemen amid the attack, although none entered Israeli airspace."

More than one-third of the "projectiles" launched by the Iranian ballistic missiles. Normally if the radar track determining course and impact area shows the missile warhead will land in an unpopulated and insignificant area no effort will be made at at intercept!

coolbert.

ASPIDES.

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Intercept and destruction a Hootie Tootie drone the Red Sea. French navy stands tall. Helicopter of war the French way! 

"Helicopter From French Navy Destroyer Shoots Down Houthi UAV In Red Sea"

From https://theaviationist.com | DAVID CENCIOTTI | March 20, 2024.

"A French Navy helicopter launched from a destroyer supporting EUNAVFOR ASPIDES operation in the Red Sea, shot down a Houthi UAV."

European naval contingent the Red Sea as operating independently the American sponsored Operation Prosperity Guardian.

"On Mar. 20, 2024, a Marine Nationale (French Navy) helicopter embarked on a French destroyer, shot down a Houthi UAV threatening commercial navigation in the Red Sea, the EUNAVFOR ASPIDES military operation’s official X account announced."

"No additional details about the downing have been released so far."

Once more the cost-efficient manner of intercept and destruction of a Hootie Tootie drone. Italian warship the same vicinity having previously using a rapid-fire 76 mm naval gun to do so.

Intercept possibly by a Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters) AS565 Panther. Means of shoot-down not specified. Still no need to expend a $ million dollar ship-borne air-to air missile to destroy a $ 20,000 drone.

Bon travail mes amis. Plus de la même chose si possible. Continuez votre bon travail.

coolbert.

Caio Duilio.

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"Congratulations to the crew of the destroyer #CaioDuilio who shot down two drones in the Red Sea as part of the EU Aspides mission. @ItalianNavy guarantees free navigation and protects our merchant ships. Proud of our sailors!"

Once more the Italian navy combat action the Red Sea.

"Italian Navy Destroyer Caio Duilio Shoots Down Two More Drones In Red Sea"

From https://theaviationist.com | DAVID CENCIOTTI | March 12, 2024.  

"The Anti-Air Warfare Destroyer [ Caio Duilio\ of the Marina Militare engaged and shot down two more aerial drones in the Red Sea."

Caio Duilio and not Nave Duilio!

"According to EUNAVFOR, on Mar. 12, 2024 at between 02.00AM and 05.45AM Djibouti time, the Italian destroyed repelled the attack from UAVs coming from Houthis-controlled territories in Yemen and posing a direct and imminent threat to the freedom of navigation."

[....]

"Although it’s not been confirmed yet, it is quite likely that 76mm cannons were again used to shoot down the drones: these Super-Rapid guns are extremely effective and much cheaper than low and medum-range Aster missiles, therefore the weapon of choice against relatively low-cost targets."

Indeed. Those 76 mm naval guns perhaps the best weapon to engage and destroy those one-way quadracopter kamikaze drone.

Italian navy standing tall the Red Sea mission. 

coolbert.

Kindled.

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Russian A-50 AWACS warplane [MAINSTAY] back in the news again and not in a good way.

Another A-50 bites the dust? The anger of Vlad will be kindled exceedingly hot!

"Russian Advanced A-50 Spy Plane Hit in Strike on Aircraft Factory: Kyiv"

From Newsweek ^ | 10 March 2024 | Ellie Cook | the tip from Freeper.

"Ukrainian forces 'destroyed or heavily damaged' one of Russia's prized but scarce A-50 spy planes, according to a Ukrainian official, after Kyiv targeted an aviation plant in southern Russia. Russia's Defense Ministry said on Saturday that its air defenses had intercepted 47 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory overnight, including 41 over the southwestern Rostov region."

Massive Ukrainian drone attack the Russian Federation territory, an aircraft factory under siege by many incoming combat kamikaze drones.

A-50 again a casualty of war. Plane when gone, few in the inventory and now even less. Not cheap, rather expensive. Definitely a negative of some consequences from the Russian perspective! At least I might think so.

See all recent blog entries the A-50 within context the Ukraine Conflict:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2024/02/a-50u-ii.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2024/02/a-50u.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2024/01/bvraam.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2024/01/m-c.html

coolbert:

Fibers.

This is coolbert:

UAV Russian impervious to jamming.

Fiber optic link!

"Russians have started using drones with fiber optic cables"

From Army Recognition ^ | 3/8/24 | the tip from Freeper.

According to a Telegram channel (@serhii_flash), the Russian military has begun deploying FPV (First Person View) drones equipped with coils of fiber optic cables, marking a significant advancement in drone communication technologies. The Ukrainian military has encountered one of these unusual drones, which had a 10-kilometer [about six miles] length of fiber optic cable unspooled during flight. 

Drone relying on on a fiber optic wire connecting the operator to the drone. Radio-frequency [RF] command link eschewed! Too susceptible to RF jamming that solution fiber optics.

coolbert.

Blunder.

 This is coolbert:

Nearly had a disaster. That German warship Hessen now the Red Sea European combat mission almost engaging and "downing" an American surveillance/combat drone!

"German Warship Mistakes American Reaper For Houthi Drone, Shoots Missiles At It In Red Sea"

From Hindustan Times |  2/29.2024. The tip from Freeper.

"German frigate Hessen caused a blunder in the Red Sea as it led EU's anti-Houthi mission. The German warship opened fire at American MQ-9 Reaper drone as it spotted it flying in the area. The warship mistook it for being a Houthi drone, however, its missiles failed to reach the drone due to a reported 'technical defect.' RT News reported that the Reaper drone was flying in the area with its transponder shut' off."

Catastrophe averted. American led Prosperity Guardian deployment and the European analog not communicating with one another? Friendly fire not so always friendly fire.

coolbet.

PC-C4.

This is coolbert:

AWAC =  Airborne early warning and control.

AWAC F-35? F-35 Lightning? AWAC?

F-35 morphing in a direction as originally never envisioned?

"F-35 is turning into a 'flying sensor' for UAV ground targeting"

From bulgarianmilitary.com | By Boyko Nikolov On Feb 28, 2024.

"US developers have embarked on fresh testing trials of their extraordinary F-35 Lightning II alongside unmanned aerial vehicles [UAVs or UCAVs]. These evaluations are part of the Project Convergence Capstone 4 [PC-C4] agenda managed by the US Army. "

The principal objective of these tests is to examine the F-35’s sensors in an alternate use case – AWAC. In other words, the sensors on this stealth fighter craft will relay information regarding a ground target’s location to a drone. Consequently, the ground target becomes the drone’s objective, directed by the data from the F-35. This unique approach allows the F-35 to stay out of combat range, preserving its valuable services, and instead employing the cost-effective yet efficient Kamikaze drone. 

Targets of U.S Army combat one-way drones to be provided by high-flying sensors of a F-35 Lightning. Presumably the Lightning in a stand-off mode relaying targeting data to drone operators. An "alternate use" mission for the F-35 but still a worthy application of sensor resources.

F-35 onboard sensors sophisticated enough the the aircraft can be used in an anti-ballistic missile [ABM] mode of operation? That too. 

coolbert.

Ingots.

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Our people pay with gold!! The Iranian drives a hard bargain with the Russian!

"Gold for Drones: Massive Leak Reveals the Iranian Shahed Project in Russia"

"Documents reveal how the Shahed 136– with a $200,000 price tag – has become a lethal weapon in Russia's arsenal in Ukraine, and what the advanced models look like"

From https://www.haaretz.com | Feb 21, 2024.

"A massive leak of thousands of internal emails and documents from an Iranian company connected to that country's Defense Ministry has revealed a wealth of information about Tehran's close cooperation with Moscow on suicide drones."

"The leaked documents show that since the war in Ukraine began, Russia has purchased at least 6,000 Shahed 136 drones and received extensive aid in setting up local production lines for the drones, while paying for these deals in part with several tons of gold ingots. Now, Russia is seeking both to buy and to manufacture thousands of more advanced drones."

Normally the cost of a Shahed-136 estimated at about $20,000 USD. This figure as touted of $200,000 USD per drone including the cost of the factory and not drones alone? AND PAYMENT ONLY IN GOLD!

coolbert.

Staggering.

This is coolbert:

Everything but the kitchen sink and maybe that too!

"Everything but the Kitchen Sink - when discussing a situation that includes just about everything possible."

Russian massive almost overwhelming missile and drone attack Ukrainian targets.

"Russia spent nearly half a billion $US to attack Ukraine on Feb.7"

From https://bulgarianmilitary.com | By Boyko Nikolov | Feb 7, 2024.

"In the early hours and continuing into the morning of February 7, a staggering 64 aerial projectiles were launched at Ukraine by the Russian military. These attacks consisted of an assortment of missiles and assault drones. Remarkably, Ukraine’s military claims that they were able to destroy a total of 44 of the incoming projectiles."

"This massive assault involved the deployment of 20 Shahed suicide drones and a diverse array of 34 missiles, spanning from the Iskander to the S-300, the Caliber to the X-22, and the Kh-101 / Kh-555 / Kh-55. These projectiles were launched from air, land, and sea sources. According to Ukrainian officials, they successfully intercepted and shot down 44 of these airborne threats with their air defense systems, aviation facilities, and mobile fire squads."

"An informative report from Economic Truth suggests that this single assault on Ukraine carries a staggering price tag exceeding $420 million. These calculations are made by adding up the individual manufacturing costs of each ordnance." 

Comments:

* ONLY about 30 % of the missiles and drones actually evaded Ukrainian multi-layered air defense? [fifty-four or sixty-four incoming aerial projectiles?]

* Expenditure of nearly a $ half billion USD for the maximum effort a prodigious sum.

* The Russian military less than pleased at the results? Can anyone doubt this?

coolbert.

A2LE.

This is coolbert:

First Predator. Then Reaper. Then Avenger. Now A2LE. Mini-drone inside of a drone [Avenger]. Baby drone I am not sure if boy or girl!

"General Atomics Demonstrates New Advanced Air-Launched Effect (A2LE) On MQ-20 Avenger"

From https://theaviationist.com | February 9, 2024 | STEFANO D'URSO.

Mini-drone as dropped from Avenger internal stores!

"The new A2LE was developed in partnership with Divergent Technologies in a controlled, low-risk approach."

“General Atomics announced the successful inflight release of its new Advanced Air-Launched Effects (A2LE) platform from the internal weapons bay of a MQ-20 Avenger Unmanned Aircraft System. Although this was only disclosed last week, the demonstration took place on Nov. 28, 2023, over Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, capping a manufacturing, structural test, and flight demonstration campaign.”

Regarding strictly the MQ-20 Avenger from the wiki entry:

"Unlike the previous MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper (Predator B) drones, the Avenger is powered by a turbofan engine, and its design includes stealth features such as internal weapons storage and an S-shaped exhaust for reduced infrared and radar signatures."

Carrying the mini-drone in internal weapons store greatly [?] enhances stealth capability of the jet-powered Avenger?

coolbert.

OWA-UAV.

This is coolbert:

OWA-UAV = one-way-attack uncrewed air vehicle. 

Iranian Shahed-136 in action, the Red Sea? Shahed-136 now able to intercept and defeat a moving vessel on the high seas? Able to function as a low-cost anti-ship missile. 

"Drone Warfare's New Angle: Iran's Shaheds [136] Become Low-Cost Anti-Ship Missiles"

From http://www.hisutton.com | By H I Sutton | 13 January 2024.

"Drone Warfare's New Angle: Iran's Shaheds [136] Become Low-Cost Anti-Ship Missiles"

"Iran Iran’s IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) are known for their outlandish claims and propaganda equipment parades. Despite the hype much of their equipment and tactics should be taken seriously. Especially in hybrid warfare scenarios which are currently playing out in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean."

[....]

Shahed-136 as employed the Ukraine Conflict aimed at stationary targets, the location of which was very well-known.

Intercept and attack of a moving vessel  naval or commercial on the high seas however a far different story. Over-The-Horizon-Targeting with some sort of last moment terminal guidance a must.

"Hitting fixed target in Ukraine is very different from hitting a moving target hundreds of miles off the coast. Even an oil tanker is very small in the vastness of the ocean. The mission would need target location intelligence, and the drone would need targeting during its attack phase. The former is the same for any anti-ship weapon and can be achieved by patrol aircraft, fishing boats. Or, as possibly . . . by the target broadcasting its position via AIS (automated information system)."

Recall Shahed-136 costing approximately $20,000 USD per copy. Cheap when compared to a conventional/modern anti-ship missile. Asymmetric warfare at its finest!

coolbert.

S-300 Ru.

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Ukrainian drone AQ-400 striking Russian targets and doing a lot of damage to infrastructure of a vital nature?

1. "Russia Reinforces St Petersburg Air Defenses with S-300 System After Ukrainian Drone Strike"

From Military Watch Magazine Editorial Staff | January-23rd-2024.

"The Russian Air Force has redeployed S-300 air defense systems from the S-300P family to support the air defense of St Petersburg, after successful Ukrainian drone strike destroyed the Ust-Luga gas export terminal."

2. "Ukrainian Drones Hit Rosneft Refinery in Russia - Source"

From US News via Reuters ^ | 01/25/2024'

"Ukrainian drones attacked a Rosneft-owned oil refinery in southern Russia in the latest such strike on Russian energy infrastructure, a Ukrainian source said on Thursday."

Ukrainian drone AQ-400  to be coming off the assembly line at a rate of 1,000 per month as is the goal. This is an asymmetric weapon of the highest order especially when used in a swarm fashion against an important target. Russian S-300 can intercept and shoot down these drones, but again the cost-benefit-ratio is greatly to the advantage of the Ukrainian. Much as cost-benefit-ratio drone attack the Red Sea much to the advantage of the Hootie Tootie rebels.

coolbert.

AQ 400.

This is coolbert

Ukrainian wonder weapon the Ukraine conflict attack UAV AQ 400.

Ukrainian farmers can use this to reap the field of Russians and do so where the Russian lives.

From the outstanding Internet website Strategy Page and thanks to same.

"Air Weapons: Ukrainian Strategic Attack UAV"

From https://www.strategypage.com

"December 31, 2023: A Ukrainian firm recently revealed it had developed the AQ 400, a cheap, long range UAV that can make attacks over 700 kilometers [420 miles] into Russia while carrying 32 kg [70 pounds] of explosives. Cut the range in half and 70 kg [150 pounds] of explosives can be carried. Each AQ 400 costs $30,000. The airframe is made of plywood. Initial production is about a hundred a month. That will gradually increase to 500 and then 1,000 a month. AQ 400 can takeoff from short runways or via a catapult. It travels at 144 kilometers an hour [86/mph] and can stay in the air for six and a half hours."

Can take-off from a conventional airfield using the tricycle landing gear or using a catapult for launch. A very innovative design. The entire war plane made of plywood with a range fairly extensive range. Notice also the price $30,000 USD a copy and will be able to be manufactured in the quantity of 1,000 a month! See persons in the far background for scale.

You cannot help but be impressed!

coolbert.

Roadrunner.

This is coolbert:

Sounds way too good to be true! However, maybe not so fanciful or unbelievable!

Roadrunner anti-drone interceptor. Can be reused!

"You can launch without regret"

 From isegoria.net | December 1st, 2023.

"Since its founding in 2017, Anduril has argued that it’s a new type of defense contractor:

"Instead of taking orders upfront from the US Department of Defense to fund development of products, Anduril has raised money from venture capitalists, including Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund, that it uses to build weapons it predicts the military will want . . . The company then began shipping early counter-drone aircraft to the US and UK militaries in 2019."

"Anduril started work two years ago on the Roadrunner, a Looney Tunes-inspired dig at Raytheon’s Coyote, because it said the US would need a lower-cost, more nimble way to combat swarms. The tiny fighter jet has a carbon-fiber body and onboard electronics that let it track objects and perform maneuvers that’d be too dangerous for a human-piloted plane. One of its main advantages is that it can be reused, which makes it easier to launch at the first sign of an unknown object"

Vertical take-off and landing reminding me instantly of the Pogo XFY from the era of the Cold War. Pogo a full-sized combat warplane and not a micro-mini drone. Pogo given the technology of the time a futile experiment quickly abandoned. Seventy years later things given more doable.

coolbert.

Creep.

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Originally conceived expendable but then further envisioned as not so expendable!

"Losing one drone for one submarine was a good exchange rate"

From https://www.isegoria.net | November 27th, 2023.

"In the late 1950s, David Hambling notes (in Swarm Troopers), the latest sonar could detect a submarine more than twenty miles away, but the best anti-submarine weapons only had a range of a few miles"

"The US Navy wanted to bridge the gap with a Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter or DASH. This was a small helicopter capable of carrying a single weapon and dropping it at the required spot, guided by a controller back on board ship."

"The DASH was based on a one-man helicopter . . . This had two rotor blades rotating in opposite directions for lift, and a propeller for forward motion. The drone version was the size of a small car and weighed just over a ton. By 1963, the US Navy had eighty of them."

[…]

"DASH was designed to be expendable; when it dropped a Mk57 nuclear depth charge it would be within the lethal radius of the resulting explosion. The powerful warhead, from five to twenty kilotons, guaranteed that the sub would be destroyed, and losing one drone for one submarine was a good exchange rate. The idea that DASH should carry a non-nuclear homing torpedo and come back afterwards was a case of mission creep; according to the original design it was only supposed to make one flight."

Mission creep: "Mission creep is the gradual or incremental expansion of an intervention, project or mission, beyond its original scope, focus or goals, a ratchet effect spawned by initial success"

Mission creep for the DASH drone to include projects such as:

* SNOOPY * NITE PANTHER * BLOW LOW * NITE GAZELLE * GUN SHIP * ATTACK DRONE 

Read further details of all mission creep applications DASH!

coolbert.

Yemen UAV.

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Cruise missiles and combat UAV film footage the Yemeni attack! Go see the link for the entire video.

Thanks to the tip from Justinian.

"Video | Joint operations by the Yemeni missile force and the air force on targets deep within the Israeli entity in #Palestine"

بالفيديو | عمليات مشتركة للقوة الصاروخية اليمنية وسلاح الجو المسير على أهداف في عمق الكيان الإسرائيلي في #فلسطين

2/3

#اليمن #عزيز_يا_يمن

Translation via google translate and thanks to same.

2/3

#Yemen #Dear_Ya_Yemen

Anybody have a handle on the type of Iranian drone as being fired at the "Zionist entity"? Propeller driven, Y-tail, evidently booster rocket assisted take off!

Combat drone attack uniformly unsuccessful? All incoming drones attacked and destroyed by Israeli air defense?

coolbert.

Lancet II.

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“It’s important to understand that these drones are quite expensive, costing, according to some sources, a couple of million rubles [about $21,200 US, ed.]. Therefore, the drone’s target must be more expensive than that – a tank, a self-propelled artillery unit, a HIMARS launcher, etc,” - Viktor Litovkin.

More Russian Lancet combat drone stuff. Thanks to https://sputnikglobe.com

"Russia’s Lancet Drones Just Got Deadlier: Here’s Why"

"First appearing on the battlefield in limited numbers in Ukraine in 2022, ZALA Lancet loitering munitions gained international attention this spring and summer, when they were used en masse to target Ukrainian military equipment ranging from vehicles and tanks to artillery and even naval gunboats during Kiev’s attempted counteroffensive."

This Litovkin correct! The cost of whatever target destroyed must exceed by a considerable margin the cost of the drone. Judicious use of Lancet drones mandated!

Dig that wing configuration the drone when launched. From what I read I can reasonably [?] infer the Lancet latest version has electro-optic sensors programmed to pick out from the background clutter the image of a high-value [in the sense of monetary value] target of whatever type. A tank, artillery firing piece, multiple-rocket launcher.

Lancet now has an autonomous "hunt" capability and swarm feature?

See previous blog the topic Russian Lancet combat drone:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2023/08/lancet-3.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2022/11/lancet.html

coolbert.

Kometa.

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The Ukrainian resourceful, resilient, adaptive and innovative!

"Ukrainians using Russian chips for drones – media"

Chips as micro-electronic integrated-circuitry. 

"Kiev’s forces have reportedly been using components [micro-electronic integrated-circuitry] salvaged from Moscow’s suicide UAVs"

From https://www.russiaherald.com via RT.com | 22 Oct 2023.

"The Ukrainian military is using electronic components salvaged from Russian Geran-2 loitering munitions to assemble their own suicide drones, the online outlet Mash reported on Saturday."

"The outlet [Mash] circulated imagery of a Ukrainian homebuilt suicide drone, apparently containing a navigation module from a [Russian] Geran-2 [combat drone]."

"The re-purposed navigation component used in the Ukrainian drone was identified by the outlet as a Kometa (Comet) module that is utilized in Geran-2 drones. The module is said to be located in the wing section of the Russian loitering munition and usually survives impact. The Kometa is said to use the Russian satellite navigation system GLONASS for setting the course of the drone."

GLONASS Russian variety of Global Positioning System. GLONASS in some manner impervious to jamming? GPS guidance for Ukrainian drones subjected to Russian electronic warfare attack too vulnerable!

coolbert.

Mirror.

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Not necessarily indicative of Russian involvement.

"Budanov: Hamas' use of drones clear sign of Russian involvement”

From The Kiyv Independent ^ | 12 OCT 2023 | Nate Ostiller the tip from Freeper.

"Hamas' advanced tactics using drones on armored vehicles must have been the result of Russian training, Ukraine's military intelligence Kyrylo Budanov said in an interview with Ukrainska Pravada released on Oct. 12. While it did not constitute a clear indication of Russia's direct involvement in Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel, the tactics strongly mirrored those used in Russia's war on Ukraine”

I am thinking particularly of the video where an Israeli Merkava tank is destroyed by a grenade dropped by a UAV. That video showing only a very brief glimpse of what appeared to be a shaped charge grenade hitting the engine compartment of the tank, causing a fire, but I cannot either confirm or deny. Such a development does not necessarily mean the Russians had a hand in the attack. Rather, the Iranians have perhaps developed some sort of shaped charge weapon designed specifically to attack armored vehicles from above.

coolbert.