Ukraine's new unmanned weapons threaten Russian fleet
Ukraine has developed a new drone called Black Widow 2 to monitor and attack Russian ships operating on Ukrainian rivers.
Hard Cat, a Kiev-based UAV manufacturer, told Business Insider that the Black Widow 2 can destroy surface targets including small boats. In addition, this 1m-long unmanned vehicle can also conduct reconnaissance and patrol operations, providing real-time images. The maximum speed of the device is 40 km/h, and the communication range is nearly 10 km.
Unlike unmanned surface vessels (USVs) that operate in open waters, the Black Widow 2's "compact size and high maneuverability" allow it to operate effectively in narrow waterways and on rivers.
Drones have become an important weapon in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Both sides have used them for strikes, surveillance, and more precise targeting. Ukraine, for example, has used USVs to inflict major damage on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
Hard Cat unveiled its Black Widow 2 river drone prototype at the Defense Tech Valley investment summit in Kiev in October 2024. The company said the device had been successfully tested in rear-area conditions and was undergoing combat testing with two Ukrainian army brigades. However, the company did not disclose where the device was tested.
“Conflict on water has its own challenges that make Black Widow 2 potentially very useful,” the company added.
Another source said that Black Widow 2 began construction in December 2023 at the request of the Ukrainian army to counter motorboats used by Russia for personnel rotation, supplies, and reconnaissance.
At the time, Kiev forces were fighting to hold the eastern bank of the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine, amid overwhelming numerical superiority by the Russian army.
Mr. John Hardie, Deputy Director of the Russia Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in the US, commented that Ukraine will use Black Widow 2 mainly on the Dnipro River.
“They could be most useful in a defensive role, attacking small Russian vessels carrying troops or supplies,” he stressed, rather than teaming up with larger, longer-range USVs to attack Russian fleets in the Black Sea.
Basil Germond of Lancaster University in the UK made a similar assessment. “It is important that Russia operates not only large warships and submarines, but also a variety of smaller vessels to support land operations at the tactical level, especially in wet areas such as the Dnipro estuary and other rivers,” said Germond.