A new type of drone weapon is starting to make its mark in the Ukraine conflict, a munition well suited to the unique capabilities of small drones.
A recent video from Ukrainian drone fundraiser Serhii Sternenko shows an attack by a ‘special drone’ on a house used by Russian troops. At first two FPV drones hit the building, but their small explosive warheads just break some windows. Then we see the viewpoint of a third FPV as it crashes on to the corrugated metal roof, followed by a shot from a reconnaissance drone. The cashed FPV fizzes like a firework, spraying out a jet of sparks, and continues burning.
Звичайний ранок у БНР.
Горить від особливого дрона місце базування російських окупаційних сил. pic.twitter.com/2mBIc7cfpN— Serhii Sternenko ✙ (@sternenko) June 26, 2024
In the next shot, the munition has burned right through the metal roof. Smoke and flame are pouring out of the house, which is later seen completely ablaze, destroying any equipment which may have been stored there.
Miliary specialists will recognize the type of munition. There is no explosion, and no dense white smoke as there is from phosphorus incendiaries. The other tell-tale sign is that it burns hot enough to go through metal. This is thermite.
Какой интересный заряд, полежал, подумал и только потом сработал с огоньком https://t.co/JyW72b2J2Z #RussianUkrainianWar pic.twitter.com/1cBzpB2J8f
— Necro Mancer (@666_mancer) March 5, 2024
Burning At 4,000 Degrees
Usually made of a mixture of powered iron oxide (in other words, rust) and aluminum, burning thermite is a popular high school science demonstration. It burns because the oxygen in the rust is more attracted to aluminum than iron, so it does not need external oxygen and will burn underwater. Reaching temperatures of around 4,000F, a thermite reaction tends to melt through whatever it is standing on, as seen in this video of a thermite grenade on a steel . Thermite is used industrially for welding.