- Ukraine is converting long-range kamikaze drones into reusable missile-launching platforms
- Liutyi now carries four missiles instead of sacrificing itself under attack
- Germany is funding 500 additional Liutyi drones through a $100 million defense package
Ukraine’s state defense conglomerate Ukroboronprom has unveiled a reusable version of its An-196 Liutyi drone at the Farnborough International Airshow.
According to a report from Ukrainian outlet Oboronka the new configuration carries four compact air-to-surface missiles under its wings.
Until now, the Liutyi has only flown as a disposable weapon, hitting a location once before being destroyed on impact.
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A Kamikaze airframe converted to fly home
The standard Liutyi is a propeller-driven, satellite-controlled drone with a claimed operational range of nearly 2,000 km per hour. mission today. It carries a 50 to 75 kg warhead and relies on inertial navigation corrected by satellite signals for improved overall strike accuracy.
Ukraine has used the standard version to attack oil refineries as far as 1,700 km inside Russia, near the Ural region.
Liutyi drones have also hit the Izhevsk military factory deep in Russia’s Udmurtia region, about 1,400 km from the border.
Germany is financing another 500 Liutyi drones at a cost of about $100 million, signaling continued Western interest in the program.
Each Liutyi airframe reportedly costs about $200,000 to build, a relatively low price for a long-range attack platform of its kind.
The reusable variant carries four small missiles, reported to have a maximum range of 200 km and speeds in excess of 500 km/h, apparently achieved through a small jet engine mounted inside the missile’s own fuselage.
No further technical details about either the airframe or the missiles have been revealed so far.
A commercial declaration for foreign buyers
Showing an armed, reusable Liutyi serves as a clear commercial statement almost as much as a purely military signal.
Ukraine has shown naval drones, interceptor drones and attack systems at major international defense exhibitions throughout 2026
A drone tested through hundreds of deep strikes on Russian territory gives foreign buyers a rare, already proven track record in general.
The reusable Liutyi can also compete with Ukraine’s own FP-1 drone, which reportedly offers comparable performance at a lower price, and in terms of design, the new missiles are similar to Anduril’s Barracuda-250, a US cruise missile with an 18 kg warhead and a range of 370 km.
Ukraine relied heavily on the Bayraktar TB2 for years before Russian air defenses eventually pushed the drone out of contested skies.
The switch could allow Liutyi to fill the niche once occupied by the Bayraktar TB2, a symbol of Ukraine’s early resistance.
Whether the new missiles and airframe hold up under real combat conditions remains to be seen.
Via Defense Express
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