Ukraine develops DART missile: it ignores EW and launches from balloons
Kyiv • UNN
The DART missile is launched from balloons and carries a warhead of up to 10 kg. The system disables navigation during flight to protect against enemy electronic warfare (EW) measures.
The Center of Innovative Technologies Program has developed the DART missile for launch from balloons. This was reported by Militarnyi, according to UNN.
Details
It is noted that the missile is launched from stratospheric balloons at an altitude of 12 to 18 kilometers. Activation precision and flight trajectory stability across the full range of release conditions are ensured by special servomechanisms.
The total length of the DART airframe is 1.84 meters, and its own weight is 13 kilograms. At the same time, the mass of the missile's warhead, depending on the configuration, can range from 3.5 to 10 kilograms. The warhead includes graphite striking elements,
It is specified that the missile is guided using a navigation system; however, after reaching an altitude of about 6 kilometers, the navigation is completely switched off, the solid-fuel motor is activated, and it continues toward the target without changing course. Disabling the systems during the flight to the target prevents enemy electronic warfare (EW) assets from affecting the missile.
"The balloons are no longer our development, but a partner's,"
According to the developers, DART will undergo codification by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine in the near future. There are also plans to create a ballistic missile and a surface-to-air missile based on the DART platform.
As a reminder
Helmut Rauch, CEO of the German arms manufacturer Diehl Defence, announced plans to expand cooperation with the Ukrainian defense company Fire Point during the ILA Berlin Air Show. This concerns the possibility of producing FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles in Germany.