19 July 2024

Thermite Terror: Russia Faces New Threat In The Skies Over Ukraine – Analysis

Girish Linganna

A new kind of weapon is now being used in Ukraine. Thermite is being attached to drones.

Thermite burns at very high temperatures, hot enough to melt through metal. Made from a mix of iron oxide (rust) and aluminum, this material generates its own oxygen and can even burn underwater. When this weapon is used, it does not cause an explosion, or produce thick white smoke, but can burn right through metal—even the metal roof of a house. The weapon can melt and fuse the metal parts of any object it touches.

According to a report from Interesting Engineering, the Ukrainian forces recently used this weapon to attack a house occupied by Russian troops. At first, two ‘first-person view’ (FPV) drones with small explosive warheads targeted the house, but they only managed to break a few windows. The thermite, however, burned straight through the metal roof. In the context of drones, FPV refers to a method of controlling a drone using a live video feed from the drone’s onboard camera, allowing the operator to see what the drone sees in real time.

A video shows a third FPV drone crashing onto the corrugated metal roof, followed by footage from a reconnaissance drone. The crashed FPV fizzes like firework, shooting out sparks and continuing to burn. According to a report from Fortune, the munition burned through the metal roof, destroying any equipment stored underneath.

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