Ukraine has introduced a new and powerful weapon in its ongoing conflict with Russia: dragon drones.
Launches Thermite Into Bunkers
These advanced drones are not merely used to attack open trenches; skilled pilots can even use them to destroy fortified concrete bunkers. The key to their effectiveness lies in a material called thermite, which can incinerate anything in its path.
Dragon drones employ thermite as their primary weapon, a mixture of powdered aluminum and iron oxide (rust) that burns at extraordinarily high temperatures, according to WP.
Initially, these drones targeted Russian positions hidden among tree lines, but they have now evolved to infiltrate deeper, even launching thermite payloads into bunkers.
Video footage shows pilots guiding FPV (first-person view) drones into these concrete shelters, resulting in devastating consequences for any Russian soldiers inside.
Using Ceramic Welding Buckets
The thermite reaction is violent, burning at temperatures exceeding 3,000 degrees Celsius (5,432 degrees Fahrenheit) and causing molten metal to be expelled in all directions.
Moreover, thermite cannot be extinguished by conventional methods, such as cutting off its oxygen supply, since oxygen is already part of its chemical structure.
Attempts to douse burning thermite with water can be catastrophic, as the intense heat can split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen, creating an explosive mix.
Ukrainian forces have adapted their dragon drones by suspending ceramic welding buckets or using thermite bombs from cluster munitions.
For instance, ZAB-2.5T bomblets, found in certain RBK aerial bombs, serve as effective payloads. As this innovative technology continues to develop, the battlefield tactics employed by Ukraine are becoming increasingly sophisticated,
