What is this new weapon and how effective is it?
A draconic drone
The video was published by the 108th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade of Ukraine and the Telegram channel “My Call Sign – Godwin”. The video is captioned with a single word, “Dragon,” a reference to George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels, in which dragons play an important role.
According to Forbes, the viewer does not see the entire sequence of events, but sees the drone fly above the tree line and spray fire for 22 seconds. He then drops the charge, which continues to burn and explodes on the ground seconds later as the drone flies away.
The charge emits a spray of sparks rather than the jet of burning liquid produced by traditional flamethrowers, such as the famous US backpack-mounted M2 flamethrower. This is a clear clue to identify the weapon: the jet of sparks is characteristic of thermite weapons. As noted a few months ago, thermite bombs have become the weapon of choice for Ukrainian drone operators, especially for destroying abandoned Russian vehicles.
Thermite is a high-temperature burning substance, usually a mixture of iron oxide (rust) and aluminum powder. The thermite reaction can reach temperatures of around 2200 degrees Celsius, which is enough to melt steel plate, making it a useful tool for cutting and welding.
However, thermite is not very effective as an incendiary weapon – because its area of effect is limited. Unlike other incendiary materials that burn instantly, thermite’s reaction takes a long time to heat a small area to a high temperature. Thermite grenades are typically used for destruction – for example, to knock an artillery gun or vehicle out of formation by melting or burning the main component. They are useful in destroying Russian tanks because a thermite grenade thrown through the hatch heats up the interior enough to detonate the stored ammunition and the secondary explosions destroy the war machine.
Thermite bombs for drones are manufactured by several Ukrainian sources, including Steel Hornets. Their line includes several types of thermite ammunition. The smallest is a half kilogram bomb designed for small quadcopters. The largest weighs more than two kilograms and burns for more than 22 seconds – similar to the one in the video. However, in this case, the thermic mixture could have been modified to create a more effective spray.
The drone used cannot be identified, but some videos clearly show that it is one of the larger FPV drones7. The new Queen Hornet can carry a payload of nine kilograms, a likely candidate.
Destruction by flame
A moving drone – instead of staying in one place – spreads the burning product of the thermic reaction along its flight path. It is unlikely to result in casualties. Drops of molten iron fall like white-hot raindrops, but everyone in a bunker or covered ditch will be safe – and even in the open, soldiers with helmets and body armor will be well protected as long as they don’t look straight up.
However, thermic rain ignites any combustible material it lands on. After a dry summer, crops and vegetation catch fire easily, and the termite rain leaves hundreds of thousands of small fires in their wake. As you can see in the video, some of them spread and merge into larger ones. The combined effects of smoke and flames can cause more problems for the occupants and force them to abandon the position.
In some parts of Ukraine, the landscape consists of large open fields separated by narrow lines of trees. They are always chosen as defensive positions, which is why one analyst called last year’s counterattack Ukraine’s tree line war. Cover provided by vegetation is vital in a war where every square centimeter is constantly monitored by drones, according to Forbes.
Some viewers questioned the legality of such a weapon. The use of flamethrower weapons in warfare has always been controversial, but they can be used against certain military targets if necessary. Specifically, Article 85 of Customary International Humanitarian Law states: “the use of incendiary weapons against persons is prohibited, except in cases where it is not possible to use a less harmful weapon to render the person hors de combat”.
For their part, the Russians have made extensive use of thermobaric weapons, which they call “rocket flamethrowers” — despite concerns about their legality and impact on civilians in densely populated areas. Some Russian bloggers have even gone so far as to claim that the thermite-spraying drone was a Russian weapon – even though geolocation data indicated it was attacking Russian lines.
While the new weapon is impressive, it is unlikely to be decisive. Thermite fire will not destroy the Russian positions (unless it is used more intensively), but it will certainly destroy the protective cover. But there is one more important possibility – the effect of such Dragonfire drones on the morale of the occupying soldiers can be high, which can become a weak point for Russia.
2024-09-03 07:47:30