Summary and Key Points: Drones have become pivotal in the Ukraine war, utilized for reconnaissance, artillery spotting, attacks, and psychological warfare by both Ukrainian and Russian forces.

-The range of unmanned systems spans from commercial drones to military-grade ones.

-Recently, Ukraine introduced a new weapon: flamethrower drones equipped with thermite, an incendiary substance capable of burning at temperatures of 4,500 degrees Fahrenheit.

-These drones are used to ignite trenches, destroy cover, and create psychological terror for Russian troops.

-While Ukraine’s current use is limited, the weapon's impact, both physical and mental, has already been significant.

Ukraine’s New Flamethrower Drones Bring Firepower to the Battlefield

Drones play a central role in the fighting in Ukraine. Both militaries use drones in a number of roles, including reconnaissance and surveillance, direct attack, long-range attack artillery spotting, and psychological warfare. 

In many ways, the use of drones has been democratized. The two combatants use unmanned aerial systems that range from commercially available systems on Amazon and  grenade-strapped drones made in a garage, to military-grade drones with classified technology. 

Forces on the ground have adjusted their tactics to anticipate the threat posed by drones. Main battle tanks sport coop cages to detonate a suicide drone before it strikes the superstructure. Key parts of the contact line are protected by electronic warfare systems that can neutralize a drone from afar. Individual soldiers constantly keep their eyes on the sky. 

But as the combatants adjust to the prevalence of drones on the battlefield, they continually seek new ways to surprise their adversary. The Ukrainians seem to have pulled it off once more. 

Ukraine’s Flamethrower Drones 

Over the past week, footage from the battlefield has emerged showing Ukrainian fire-spewing drones wreaking havoc on Russian trench lines. 

These drones use thermite, an incendiary substance, to burn Russian trenches or foliage in order to deny its use by the enemy. 

Thermite is usually used in munitions such as artillery rounds and grenades to create a catastrophic incendiary effect on the target. A combination of aluminum and oxidized iron, thermite can burn at temperatures as high as 2,485 degrees Celsius (4,500 degrees Fahrenheit), or roughly half the temperature on the Sun’s surface. As you can imagine, we are talking about a weapon that can have catastrophic results on man and machine. 

Used correctly, thermite can be very effective against ground troops. It can deny cover, destroy positions, and even negate the use of bunkers – the fire can consume all oxygen in an area. 

“Strike Drones are our wings of vengeance, bringing fire straight from the sky. They become a real threat to the enemy, burning his positions with an accuracy that no other weapon can achieve,” the Ukrainian 60th Mechanized Brigade said in posting a video of a flamethrower drone at work last week. 

In the video, Ukrainian flamethrower drones light up an entire tree line on the edge of a field, very likely killing anyone hiding in there and denying the cover the trees and shrubs offered. 

The rather limited use of flamethrower drones suggests that the Ukrainian military has a limited capability as of now. However, the psychological effect of the weapon is real. Russian troops fighting or arriving at the front will have to deal with the constant fear of being on the receiving end of a flame-spewing Ukrainian drone that can melt their protective gear and their flesh in a matter of excruciating seconds. 

About the Author 

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.

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