On October 12, 2024, following a bright orange flash, a struck aircraft fell to the ground. Ukrainians felt curious, and later discovered from the wreckage that what they had just witnessed was the destruction of Russia’s latest weapon – the S-70 stealth combat drone.
This incident took place near the city of Kostyantynivka on October 5. The news of the S-70 drone being shot down first surfaced on the social media platform Telegram, but the reason for its downing remains unclear. Many believe it was a case of a Russian warplane mistakenly hitting another of its own combat drones about 20 kilometers (12 miles) away from the front line, but it could also have been intentionally destroyed.
A short video circulating online shows two aircraft flying upwards, with one trailing behind the other, followed by a plume of smoke leaving the rear aircraft and hitting the one in front, indicating that it fired an air-to-air missile.
At the crash site of the drone, wreckage of a Russian long-range D-30 glide bomb was found.
The heavy unmanned vehicle named “Okhotnik” is not an ordinary drone; it is as large as a fighter jet but without a cockpit. Its developers claim it is extremely difficult to detect and is “unparalleled” globally in stealth technology.
BBC analysis suggests that while this might all be true, it apparently strayed off its course, with the second smoke trail seen in the video likely originating from a Russian Su-57 fighter jet, which seemed to be pursuing it.
The Russian aircraft may have attempted to reestablish contact with the rogue drone, but as they both entered Ukrainian airspace, it is speculated that the decision to destroy the “Okhotnik” was made to prevent it from falling into enemy hands.
Both Russia and Ukraine have not commented on the incident yet, but analysts suggest the Russian drone may have lost control due to interference from Ukrainian electronic warfare systems.
After the S-70 was shot down, Russia reportedly launched an Iskander ballistic missile towards the crash site. This missile is rare and costly, indicating the significance Russia places on preventing Ukraine and its Western allies from obtaining the drone wreckage.
Despite being destroyed, the Ukrainian military may still gain valuable information from the “Okhotnik.”
Kyiv aviation expert Anatoliy Khrapchynskyi explained that through studying the wreckage, they may learn whether it had its own radar for targeting or if its ammunition was pre-programmed with strike coordinates.
Merely from analyzing images of the crash site, he believes the drone’s stealth capabilities were quite limited. The round shape of the engine nozzles and the possibility of aluminum rivets on the drone could make it detectable by radars.
Undoubtedly, Ukrainian engineers will meticulously study the wreckage and share their findings with Ukraine’s Western allies.
The idea of “stealth” typically refers to reducing an aircraft’s visibility on radar. This is mainly achieved through carefully designing the aircraft’s shape to avoid reflecting radar waves off straight lines and sharp angles. However, minimizing radar reflections on the surface is equally crucial.
According to Forbes analysis, the reluctance of Russia to let the S-70 fall into enemy hands likely stems from the possibility that their stealth technology may not be as advanced as claimed.
There have been indications in the past showing shortcomings in Russia’s stealth capabilities. In 2023, Ukrainian engineers had the opportunity to analyze the wreckage of a Russian Kh-101/X-101 long-range cruise missile. The results revealed that the missile did not possess the alleged radar-absorbing coating.
Interestingly, after Russia recently unveiled images of its new Su-57, the rough appearance surprised Western analysts. Stealth aircraft require an exceptionally smooth surface, as even minor imperfections can significantly affect radar echoes. The Su-57’s wings and fuselage are covered in exposed screws and rivets, indicating poor stealth performance.
The S-70 appears strikingly similar to the American X-47B stealth combat drone introduced a decade ago. Weighing over 20 tonnes, it reportedly has a range of up to 6,000 kilometers (3,700 miles). The “Okhotnik” is said to be capable of carrying bombs and rockets to target both ground and aerial threats and conduct reconnaissance.
Furthermore, it was designed as a “loyal wingman” to the Russian fifth-generation Su-57 fighter jet, under development since 2012 and first test-flown in 2019.
However, there was no evidence until last weekend to suggest its deployment in Russia’s two-and-a-half-year war with Ukraine. Therefore, the scene witnessed over Kostyantynivka was possibly Moscow’s first attempt to test its new weapon under combat conditions, but it ended in failure.
The failure of this stealth drone undoubtedly dealt a significant blow to the Russian military. The drone was supposed to enter production this year but evidently was not ready.
Reportedly, Russia had constructed four S-70 prototypes, with the one shot down over Ukrainian airspace likely being the most advanced among them.