AI-powered and long-range: How Mini-Taurus drones could impact Ukraine's frontline
Illustrative photo (Getty Images)
Ukraine may receive Mini-Taurus drones of Helsing production from Germany. They will reportedly be able to replace German Taurus cruise missiles, according to Defense Express.
Today, the media reported that Germany plans to provide Ukraine with new military aid. Particularly, Helsing will supply Ukraine with 4,000 AI drones. These drones are called Mini-Taurus.
About Mini-Taurus
According to Defense Express, little is known about German drones. Only the name of the manufacturer, Helsing, is publicly available.
This drone also has advanced artificial intelligence for autonomous targeting and ignoring electronic warfare. It probably has a range four times longer than Ukrainian kamikaze drones.
Mini-Taurus is also cheaper than the American Switchblade or the Russian Lancet.
Will the drone replace Taurus missiles?
Based on the available information about the drone, we can conclude that the drone is a barrage munition for hitting targets at a range of 40-60 km. This range is about four times that of Ukrainian FPV kamikaze drones.
Defense Express believes that the available data on the drone makes it clear that there are no “mini-Tauruses” or even a bit of the missile capabilities in the drones. After all, the Taurus missile's task is to destroy highly protected targets with a 480-kg warhead at a range of more than 500 km.
Photo: Mini-Taurus drone (bild.de)
Probably, the weapons from Helsing are just another kamikaze drone with a warhead within kilograms to destroy armored vehicles. There is only one photo of the drone available in the media, which confirms these conclusions.
Will drones affect the frontline?
In February of this year, the Ministry of Strategic Industries of Ukraine and German Helsing signed a memorandum on “the introduction of artificial intelligence technologies in drones, particularly drones of Ukrainian production.”
According to media reports, Helsing is to supply Ukraine with 4,000 drones, including several hundred per month until the contract is completed. This means that Ukraine can receive 333 drones per month.
Helsing's drone can be an excellent tool for hitting Russian targets in the frontline and near-frontline zones, but it is not an analog of a cruise missile.
Taurus missiles for Ukraine
Since last year, Ukraine has been negotiating with Germany to supply Taurus missiles, which are capable of destroying targets at a distance of up to 500 kilometers. However, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was against it.
According to him, Ukraine could allegedly strike Moscow with such missiles. Ukraine has never used the long-range missiles it received from the West to strike deep into Russia, as there was a ban on it.
