The Ukrainian Sokol-300 drone will fly to the edge of Europe, carrying 300 kg of weapons

Ukraine is currently one of the countries with the most experience in deploying various types of drones. Mostly it also produces smaller scout planes and a lot of suicide bombers, but it also has larger military drones aimed at attack or survey. The most famous is the Turkish Bayraktar TB2, but Ukrainian designers have also managed to build a domestic drone of a very similar type, which they call the Sokol-300.

The Sokol-300 can fly up to 3,300 km away

Development of the Ukrainian Sokol-300 drone began sometime around 2018, and its concept was presented by the Luch design office in 2020, according to AirRecognition. In many parameters similar to Bayraktar, but larger and more powerful, but also smaller than another well-known Turkish drone Bayraktar Akinci. It is intended for both reconnaissance operations and attacks.

In some respects, the Sokol-300 has very good parameters – it can boast, above all, a long range. The Ukrainian state company SpetsTechnoExport states on its website that it is up to 3,300 kilometers, while its endurance up to 26 hours. This means, for example, that a Russian base as far away as Arctic Murmansk on the “edge of Europe” would be within its reach. On the other hand, the operating range of the broadcasting station is supposed to be only 150 km, so it is clear that it is not intended for long-range raids, but for long-term patrolling over an area.

He will most likely serve mainly as a scout

TheDefensePost reports that there are to be 3 versions of the Sokol-300 drone, each equipped with a different engine – the variant with the Rotax 914 engine is said to have the longest range. with the MC-500B engine then 335 km/h, but then it has a range of “only” 1,000 km. The drone can fly at an altitude of 10 to 12 kilometers and carry 300 kilograms of payload, which can be weapons or reconnaissance equipment, and it is also supposed to have a radar.

The armament can consist of, for example, 4 RK-2P guided missiles with a portable anti-tank missile system Barrier, or even Luch RK-10 missiles, the range of which should be up to 10 kilometers. Due to the size of the drone, whose length is 8.57 meters and wingspan 14 meters, it certainly cannot attack where there is a strong air defense, as its radars will most likely detect it easily even at a distance, and it can then be shot down. He could be useful as a scout flying out of air defense range.