Magura-7 against Su-30 fighters: Budanov shared details of the operation
Kyiv • UNN
Ukrainian intelligence has for the first time destroyed two Su-30 fighters with AIM-9 missiles fired from Magura-7 unmanned boats in the Black Sea. This is the first time in history.
The Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine shot down two Su-30 "Flanker" multi-purpose fighters with AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles fired from Magura-7 unmanned boats. This is reported by The War Zone with a reference to the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, writes UNN.
Details
It is noted that this is the first time that fighters have been shot down by unmanned boats, and the first use of AIM-9 from an unmanned boat for destruction.
"This is a historic moment," Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov told us. "War Zone" cannot independently verify this claim. The event took place in the Black Sea on Friday, Budanov said, providing new details about what happened.
Previous reports from the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, and Russian Telegram channels stated that one "Flanker" was shot down by an adapted R-73 (AA-11 Archer) short-range air-to-air missile with infrared homing.
A video has appeared on social media showing the downing of the first "Flanker." Budanov said there are no videos or images of the second collision. According to him, the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine used three Magura-7 unmanned boats during the attack, two of which fired at the planes. He explained that "Magura-7" is an air defence version of Magura-5, refusing to specify the difference between them.
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Budanov said that the crew of the first Su-30 survived and were picked up in the Black Sea by a civilian ship. According to preliminary reports, the crew of the second aircraft died.
This is not the first time Ukraine has claimed to have shot down an aircraft with a missile fired from an unmanned boat. In December, Ukraine claimed to have used an R-73 fired from an unmanned surface vessel (USV), better known as an unmanned boat, to shoot down a Russian Mi-8 Hip helicopter over the Black Sea. You can see this meeting in the video below.
According to Budanov, the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine began installing AIM-9s on unmanned boats in January. He declined to comment on whether this was the first time they had been launched at a target from a US unmanned ship. In the past, we have only seen Soviet-designed air-to-air missiles used as anti-aircraft missile systems mounted on Ukrainian unmanned boats.
Russian Telegram channels have acknowledged that one Flanker was shot down by a missile launched from a drone and a boat, and said the attack raised disturbing questions.
There are three sad points that indicate, to put it mildly, problems in our military organisation in the fourth year of the Special Military Operation
Reference
The AIM-9 Sidewinder is an American short-range air-to-air missile developed in the mid-1950s. After the adoption of the AIM-9 in 1956, the missile has been repeatedly improved and is still in serial production.
Most AIM-9 modifications are equipped with an infrared homing system. Since 1955, more than 200,000 missiles have been produced, making the AIM-9 one of the most massive air-to-air missiles in history.
In addition, they have shot down 270 aircraft - more than any other air-to-air missile. The AIM-9 has been adopted in the United States, Great Britain, France, Germany, Australia and other countries of the world. In different years, the missile was operated by the air forces of more than 50 countries.