Ukraine creates new naval drone technology that may reshape war

Ukraine has developed an unmanned surface vessel capable of carrying several fiber-optic drones in retractable compartments built into its hull. The system has no analogues worldwide, according to Forbes.
The attacks on the Tuapse and Novorossiysk ports in Russia marked the first time fiber-optic drones were launched from the sea, the report said.
The outlet recalls that Ukraine had hinted at such a capability back in December last year, when the Ukrainian Navy released footage showing Magura-class naval drone carriers deploying FPV drones from internal compartments.
"Given Ukraine’s manpower-limited navy, it has relied on cheap, unmanned systems built to be effective and disposable," said Gregory Falco, an expert in autonomous systems at Cornell University.
According to Forbes, both Ukraine and Russia are currently seeking to extend the operational range of their drones. Experts note that using naval drone carriers opens new possibilities for this goal.
"Fiber-optic FPVs carried on sea drone launchers like the one found off Krasnodar allow successful strikes on land or naval targets regardless of EW jammer defenses," said Roy Gardiner, an open-source weapons analyst.
He believes this innovation could change the dynamics of the war in the Black Sea, adding that fiber-optic FPV drones are particularly suitable for long-range targets, such as Tuapse and Novorossiysk.
Samuel Bendett, a senior research fellow at the Center for a New American Security, said that Ukraine currently leads the world in developing different types of drones for a wide range of missions.
He added that this experience has no analogues even among the most advanced economies and defense industries.
Fiber-optic drones
Drones equipped with fiber-optic communication systems are being increasingly used in the war, especially amid the widespread deployment of electronic warfare (EW) systems.
These drones receive commands and transmit visuals through an ultra-thin fiber-optic cable that unspools during flight, unlike conventional drones that rely on radio links.
Earlier, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Pavlo Palisa said that Ukraine already possesses interceptor drones equipped with jet engines capable of destroying Shahed drones.