- Ukraine converts long-range kamikaze drones into reusable missile launch platforms
- Liutyi now carries four missiles instead of sacrificing himself during attacks
- Germany funds 500 more Liutyi drones as part of $100 million defense program
Ukrainian defense conglomerate Ukroboronprom has unveiled a reusable version of its An-196 Liutyi drone at the Farnborough International Airshow.
According to a Ukrainian media report Oboronka the new configuration carries four compact air-to-ground missiles under its wings.
So far, the Liutyi has only flown as a single-use weapon, hitting a location once before being destroyed on impact.
A Kamikaze cell rebuilt to return home
The standard Liutyi is a satellite-guided propeller-driven drone with a claimed operational range of nearly 2,000 km per 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 used the standard version to strike oil refineries up to 1,700 km inside Russia, near the Urals region.
Liutyi drones also struck the Izhevsk military factory in the heart of Russia’s Udmurtia region, about 1,400 km from the border.
Germany is funding an additional 500 Liutyi drones at a cost of around $100 million, demonstrating continued Western interest in the program.
Building each Liutyi cell would cost around $200,000, a relatively low price for a long-range strike platform of this type.
The reusable variant carries four small missiles that are said to have a maximum range of 200 km and speeds in excess of 500 km/h, which is apparently achieved through a small jet engine mounted inside the missile’s fuselage.
No further technical details about the airframe or missiles have been disclosed so far.
A commercial declaration for foreign buyers
The display of an armed, reusable Liutyi functions as a clear commercial statement almost as much as a purely military signal.
Ukraine has exhibited naval drones, interceptor drones and strike systems at major international defense exhibitions throughout 2026.
A drone combat tested during hundreds of deep strikes on Russian territory offers foreign buyers a rare and already proven track record.
The reusable Liutyi could also compete with the Ukrainian FP-1 drone, which would offer comparable performance at a lower cost, and in design the new missiles resemble Anduril’s Barracuda-250, an American cruise missile with an 18 kg warhead and a range of more than 370 km.
Ukraine relied heavily on the Bayraktar TB2 for years before Russian air defenses finally pushed the drone from contested skies.
This change could allow the Liutyi to fill the niche formerly occupied by the Bayraktar TB2, symbol of the beginnings of Ukrainian resistance.
It remains to be seen whether the new missiles and the airframe will hold up in real combat conditions.
Via Defense Express
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