Ukraine's Defense Forces have begun using British uncrewed K3 Scout boats to strike Russian ports on the Black Sea. In particular, such drones were allegedly used during the attack on the port city of Sochi. Defense Express reports this, citing the British publication The Times, writes UNN.
Details
Previously, the transfer to Ukraine of K3 Scout naval drones manufactured by Kraken Technology had not been officially reported. Information about their use prompted active discussion among Russian military bloggers.
The British K3 Scout can cover up to 1,200 km, reach a maximum speed of around 100 km/h, and operate autonomously for up to 30 days. The boat can carry up to 600 kg of payload, including a warhead, guided missiles, or reconnaissance FPV drones.
British naval drones can be air-dropped from aircraft
A distinctive feature of the K3 Scout is its air-drop capability. Earlier, the United Kingdom demonstrated the dropping of such an uncrewed boat from an Airbus A400M military transport aircraft.
At the same time, the scale of these drones' use by Ukrainian forces remains unknown. Experts do not rule out the possibility that this currently involves testing British equipment in real combat conditions.
The estimated cost of one K3 Scout under the British contract was approximately $821,000. However, this amount included not only the boats themselves but also associated equipment, operator training, and maintenance.
The joint venture between Rheinmetall and Kraken Technology says it has production capacity for 200 such boats per year, with the possibility of increasing output to 1,000 units if corresponding orders are received.
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