Russia Deploys New K-8 Dvushka Drone With 40-Km Range
Russia has deployed the K-8 Dvushka drone, combining a 40-kilometer range, 150 km/h speed and electronic warfare resistance for strike and cargo missions.
Russian forces have begun actively deploying the new K-8 Dvushka drone in the special military operation zone. The aircraft combines high speed and extended range with resistance to electronic warfare systems.
According to Voyennaya Khronika, the Ukrainian side has recently recorded repeated strikes involving the new UAV. Sergey Beskrestnov, a former adviser to former Ukrainian Defense Minister Fedorov, described the Russian aircraft as the «younger brother» of the Molniya drone. Images of the Dvushka taken by an interceptor drone’s camera have also appeared online.
The K-8 is a fixed-wing unmanned aircraft developed by a company based in Novorossiysk. It was presented at the Army-2024 forum, where its developers said the chosen aerodynamic design made the drone more difficult to disrupt using electronic warfare equipment.
A dual-circuit warhead activation system protects against accidental detonation during launch, allowing the aircraft to be released by hand. This feature is believed to have inspired the name Dvushka. The operator remotely arms the munition only after the drone has crossed the line of contact.
Open-source information displayed during the presentation indicated that the first K-8 version was made of plastic, could carry up to one kilogram and remained airborne for as long as 20 minutes on a standard battery.
With a higher-capacity battery installed, its flight range reportedly reaches 40 kilometers. Ukrainian sources claim that the upgraded version can carry up to five kilograms and strike targets at tactical depths of between 15 and 30 kilometers.
The Dvushka has a maximum speed of 150 kilometers per hour. It can be used both for strike missions and for transporting cargo.
At the Army-2024 forum, the K-8 project won a competition involving 900 companies and received funding to begin serial production.