The ongoing war in Ukraine witnessed a significant incident when a Russian S-70 Okhotnik heavy drone was shot down near Kostiantynivka, a key area close to the front lines. The loss of this advanced military drone, reportedly designed for precision strikes, provides new insights into Russia’s aerial warfare strategy. At the crash site, debris from a UMPB D-30SN glide bomb was found, revealing the drone’s mission to engage ground targets in the ongoing conflict.
The S-70 Okhotnik, one of Russia’s most advanced uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), was believed to be on a mission involving long-range strikes. These strikes utilized standoff glide bombs, allowing Russian forces to hit Ukrainian positions from a safer distance. However, the stealth drone’s fate took an unexpected turn when it allegedly lost control and was subsequently shot down by a Russian fighter jet, likely to prevent it from falling into Ukrainian hands.
This incident, which was recorded and shared widely across social media, showcases the complexities of integrating advanced drones into modern warfare and hints at potential challenges Russia faces in fully deploying this cutting-edge technology.
After the downing of the S-70 Okhotnik, remnants of the UMPB D-30SN glide bomb were recovered at the crash site. This bomb is an aerial munition developed from the FAB-250, a Soviet-era free-fall bomb, upgraded with satellite guidance systems to improve accuracy. Unlike traditional bombs, the UMPB D-30 is designed to glide over long distances, providing a stand-off capability for the drone, allowing it to strike from 50 to 90 kilometers away. This distance reduces the risk to Russian forces, enabling attacks from positions outside the range of most Ukrainian air defenses.
The use of the UMPB D-30 instead of the more common UMPK indicates a strategic choice aligned with the drone’s stealth capabilities. The Okhotnik is designed with an internal weapons bay, allowing it to carry munitions without compromising its stealth profile, as would be the case with bombs mounted externally.
Following the incident, the pro-Russian Telegram channel Fighterbomber shared footage of the S-70 Okhotnik’s demise, interpreting the event as part of Russia’s increasing reliance on drones in its military operations over Ukraine. The channel’s narrative highlighted the use of heavy UAVs like the S-70 Okhotnik and the Inokhodets, another drone that has been more actively deployed by Russian forces.
The Inokhodets, however, differs from the stealthy Okhotnik in several ways. It is a non-stealthy, propeller-driven drone with a lower operational altitude and a focus on medium-range missions. Ukrainian forces claim to have shot down at least seven Inokhodets drones, raising questions about the overall effectiveness of Russia’s UAV fleet in contested airspace.
Despite the hype surrounding the Okhotnik’s deployment, it remains unclear if these drones have made a significant impact on the battlefield. The S-70’s operational role appears to be evolving, with Russia possibly testing its capabilities in real-world combat scenarios, but recent events demonstrate the difficulties in mastering these advanced systems.
The S-70 Okhotnik, developed by Sukhoi, first took to the skies in 2019, heralding a new era of Russian drone warfare. By 2021, the Okhotnik had performed its first successful bomb drop, showcasing its potential as a long-range, precision-strike platform. However, only two prototypes were built initially, leaving many questions about the mass production of these drones.
The downed Okhotnik is believed to be a production model rather than a prototype, according to the Fighterbomber Telegram channel. However, this claim is difficult to verify independently. If true, the incident marks a significant loss for Russia, as the S-70 represents a costly and technologically sophisticated asset in its military inventory.
The drone’s design incorporates cutting-edge stealth technologies, including composite materials and coatings that reduce its radar cross-section (RCS), making it harder to detect by enemy radar. Despite these advancements, Ukrainian analysts have suggested that the downed Okhotnik lacked the stealth polymers that are typically used to enhance its invisibility to radar, raising questions about the operational state of the drone.
One of the reasons Russia has invested in platforms like the S-70 Okhotnik is the strategic shift towards the use of glide bombs. These munitions, like the UMPB D-30, offer significant advantages over traditional bombs, including extended operational ranges and improved accuracy through satellite guidance.
Currently, Russia relies heavily on its fleet of Sukhoi Su-34 bombers for glide bomb operations. With approximately one hundred Su-34s engaged in the war, Russian forces drop around 3,000 glide bombs per month, making them a central part of the air force’s offensive capability. However, the reliance on manned aircraft has come at a cost—Ukrainian air defenses have downed at least 29 Su-34s since the war’s escalation in February 2022.
By integrating drones like the S-70 Okhotnik into these glide bomb operations, Russia could relieve pressure on its Su-34 squadrons and minimize the risk to human pilots. The drone’s single-engine design also makes it more cost-effective in terms of maintenance and refueling compared to the twin-engine Su-34.
Despite these potential advantages, the loss of the Okhotnik highlights the difficulties of successfully incorporating such a sophisticated platform into combat. The UAV’s crash, potentially due to a malfunction or enemy action, points to the steep learning curve that Russia faces in deploying drones alongside its traditional air force assets.
One of the most intriguing aspects of this incident is the aftermath. After the drone was downed, likely by an accompanying Russian Su-57 fighter jet, Russian forces attempted to destroy the wreckage using an Iskander missile strike. This move was likely an effort to prevent sensitive technologies from falling into Ukrainian or Western hands.
Despite this attempt, Ukrainian forces managed to recover intact components of the drone before the missile strike. This recovery could provide valuable insights into the Okhotnik’s design and operational capabilities, particularly its stealth technologies. Experts warn that Western engineers, analyzing these components, might be able to determine the radar wavelengths the drone was designed to evade and the angles from which it is most detectable. Such knowledge could significantly reduce the Okhotnik’s effectiveness in future missions, as Ukrainian and Western air defenses would be better equipped to detect and neutralize it.
The S-70’s relatively large size, combined with its slow speed and high cost, make it a valuable but vulnerable asset in Russia’s arsenal. Any compromise of its stealth capabilities would further diminish its operational value, rendering it less effective in the high-threat environment of modern air combat.
The downing of the S-70 Okhotnik near Kostiantynivka is more than just a tactical incident—it is a symbol of the evolving nature of warfare in Ukraine. As both sides continue to adapt and incorporate advanced technologies into their military strategies, incidents like these will likely become more common, with each side learning from both successes and failures.
For Russia, the incident underscores the potential and limitations of its drone program. While the S-70 Okhotnik represents a leap forward in terms of stealth and precision strike capabilities, its downing exposes the vulnerabilities that come with such sophisticated systems. The recovery of key components by Ukrainian forces could further complicate Russia’s efforts to maintain air superiority.
Ukraine, this incident highlights the effectiveness of its defenses and the importance of continued intelligence gathering and reverse engineering. By examining the recovered drone components, Ukraine and its Western allies can gain valuable insights into Russia’s military capabilities and adjust their strategies accordingly.
