Ukrainian engineers have recreated the Russian kamikaze drone Molniya and unveiled their own analog, called Blyskavka. Even the name remains the same: the Ukrainian “Блискавка”, like the Russian “Молния”, simply means “lightning”.
According to official figures, Blyskavka has a maximum flight range of 40 kilometers. It can climb to altitudes of 2,000 meters and carry a payload of up to 8 kilograms. This puts it in a comparable performance range to the Russian original, which is specified with a payload of five to seven kilograms and a range of up to 30 kilometers, depending on the configuration.
The fundraising campaign for the development and construction of the first 350 units raised 258,000 euros. The unit price of the winged kamikaze drone is therefore 737 euros. Blyskavka will initially be deployed by the 8th Separate Special Forces Regiment of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Блискавка, Молния, Blitz
The fuselage construction is based on two aluminum rods, which are held together with glued and screwed plywood elements. The wing of the Ukrainian Blitz is made of foamed and laminated plastic with an aluminum profile as the wing spar. The Russian Blitz, on the other hand, uses two wooden profiles as wing spars.
How the improved Molniya-2 Blyskavka is also powered by two engines in nacelles under the wings. While Russia can afford an aerodynamic fairing on the second generation of its Molniya, Ukraine does without this feature.
In an effort to reduce the cost of disposable weapons, neither side has the time or sufficient financial resources for endless development and testing. Ukraine has studied and copied the captured Russian Molniya drones, as they are maximally cheap, simple in design and components. As in Russia, the success of the mission will ultimately determine the volumes in which Blyskavka is delivered to the troops.
