An evaluation of the Russian S-70 “Okhotnik” flying-wing unmanned fight air car, which was shot down on October 5, 2024, close to Kostyantynivka in Ukraine’s Donetsk area, has revealed that regardless of worldwide sanctions, the aggressor state used parts manufactured by Western firms to construct this superior weapon.
The findings underscore the continued challenges in imposing sanctions aimed toward limiting Russia’s entry to important applied sciences.
The examination of the downed S-70 drone confirmed that its development included microelectronics and different technological parts from well-known Western producers resembling Analog Units, Texas Devices, and Xilinx-AMD from the USA, in addition to Infineon Applied sciences from Germany and STMicroelectronics from Switzerland. These parts have been recognized intimately and cataloged by the web site “Battle & Sanctions,” which particularly paperwork all foreign-made components present in destroyed or captured Russian army gear.
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The S-70 “Okhotnik” represents one of the vital superior unmanned techniques in Russia’s arsenal, designed to hold out each strike and reconnaissance missions. The drone, which includes expertise from Russia’s Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jet, goals to function alongside manned plane, offering further functionality in contested environments.
October fifth marked the primary confirmed lack of an S-70 Okhotnik in fight, reportedly a results of pleasant hearth over the occupied Donetsk area. Preliminary footage and experiences circulated on social media confirmed Russian forces mistakenly focusing on the heavy stealth fight drone, highlighting the rising complexities in UAV operations over Ukraine. At current, solely a restricted variety of prototypes of the S-70 Okhotnik exist, making the loss significantly notable for Russian army planners.
Using Western parts within the S-70, regardless of in depth sanctions, underscores a important weak point within the enforcement mechanisms designed to restrict Russia’s army capabilities. Analysts level out that the continued presence of those components in Russian superior techniques factors to gaps in worldwide provide chains and enforcement of restrictions.
The findings revealed by “Battle & Sanctions” are a part of a broader effort to doc international involvement in Russian army growth, typically by unauthorized channels and below questionable circumstances.
