Click to see full-size image. Via Twitter.
The Russian military has downed one of several Boeing Insitu ScanEagle 2 reconnaissance drones recently supplied to Ukraine by the United States.
The drone was reportedly downed with electronic warfare means over the Zaporozhye sector, where Kiev forces have been launching attacks for nearly a week as a part of their so-called spring counteroffensive. The nearly intact wreckage was recovered by Russian troops.
It is unclear when exactly the ScanEagle 2 drone was shot down. However, a photo of the wreckage surfaced online on June 10.
The ScanEagle 2 has a top speed of 148 kilometers, an operational range of more than 100 kilometers and an endurance of over 16 hours. The drone is mainly used for reconnaissance missions. It is equipped with a day and night capable sensor, a fully digital video system and an advanced navigation system.
Last August, the U.S. announced it was giving 15 ScanEagles to Ukraine as part of a $775M military weapon aid package to assist war efforts against Russia.
The drones were not spotted in Ukraine before, which likely means that Kiev forces saved them for use in the counteroffensive.
Russian military specialists will likely study the wreckage of the downed ScanEagle. This could help develop electronic countermeasures and improve the performance of existing air defense systems against this type of reconnaissance drones.
According to the most recent briefing by the Russian Ministry of Defense, 4,563 drones of Kiev forces have been downed by air defense fire or electronic warfare means since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine over a year ago.
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