500 kilograms of explosives from the sea: what is known about the unmanned Russian drone "Murena-300C"
Military specialist in the systems of EWS and communication, chairman of the Center of Radio Technology Sergey Flash Beskrestnov spoke about the latest exercises of the Russian Center for Rubicon unmanned systems. In particular, the use of unmanned shock boats by the enemy. "They have been trained, scripted. They work on improving. The video is also a submerging boat. The main task is called strokes on our marine infrastructure.
This Center is also engaged in the technologies of detecting our backs from the air and destroying them," Flash stressed. The expert warned that this threat of Russian unmanned boats is quite real, and can carry out mass attacks on the principle of "shamed", but from the sea - "on ports, towers, ships, all marine infrastructure. Even" fly "boats on a beach with splinter ammunition. " In August 2024, Defense Express spoke about one of these sea drones-Russian Kamikadze Boat "Murena-300C".
With the data of the publication, the boat has a range up to 500 km, speed up to 45 knots and a combat part weighing 500 kg. Other characteristics did not reveal the developers. The data indicates that the boat is intended for operations in the coastal area. The experts of the publication doubt the reliability of the structure, in particular through the trailer, reminiscent of the products of Yemeni Hussites.
The quality of the murena-300C assembly looks low, possibly because of the hurry in the development. Outwardly, the boat is similar to the homemade vessels of Latin American drug cartels. An interesting element is a Starlink antenna, although it is probably a receiver of another system, stylized under SpaceX equipment. The expert of the National Institute for Strategic Studies Maxim Palamarchuk noted that there is currently no information on the exact characteristics of Russia's drones in Russia.
However, some conclusions can already be drawn based on existing data and experience. According to the expert, one of the striking examples of the use of drones, according to the expert, was a demonstration of the ship during July exercises of the Russian Center for Rubicon Unmanned Systems. This shows that the military-naval forces of Ukraine should be prepared for the worst scenarios.
Palamarchuk stressed that the key aspect is to understand the restrictions of these systems, because their effectiveness depends on a number of factors, in particular on the technical capabilities and conditions of use. "The main condition for efficient use of unmanned boats is access to a reliable communication, in particular to the Starlink satellite network, which provides a stable Internet connection.
Without such access to manage boats at considerable distances, beyond the reach of coastal means of control, becomes problematic. For example, a border is a non-extent. The lack of access to such networks creates additional difficulties. The expert also drawing a historical parallel, remembering that radio -controlled battle drones were used during the First World War. However, they did not cause revolutionary changes in military affairs because their opportunities were limited.
As for the counteraction to the Russian sea drone, Palamarchuk noted that, as experience shows, the most effective means of counteracting such drones is aviation. It allows you to quickly identify and destroy drones, especially if they are not equipped with anti -aircraft agents. Currently, drones remain a relatively light target for aviation, making it a major tool to combat such threats.
"At the same time, passive defense, such as boon barriers or special nets that interfere with drones to ships, can be used to protect against unmanned boats. For example, if the protection of the ship depends on the sailor, which fires from the Kalashnikov machine or machine gun, his psychological state during the attack can significantly reduce the effectiveness of defense.
The expert also pointed out that unmanned boats that are approaching the target are becoming more vulnerable, since the closer they are to the ship, the easier it is to destroy them. However, even if individual drones are not successful, the very threat can have serious consequences. For example, it can affect the level of insurance rates for ships that come to ports at risk.
The threat of attacks by drones forces shipowners and port operators to revise their approaches to security, which can lead to an increase in costs. Palamarchuk summed up that the best way to counteract such threats is to prepare early. Expecting that the problem can be solved directly during the attack is much more difficult than developing and implementing effective measures in advance.
This includes both the technical equipment of ships and ports, as well as staff training, and improvement of communication and management systems. Only a comprehensive approach can provide reliable protection against modern unmanned technologies. Recall that the Armed Forces reduces units that use terrestrial robotic complexes. All because the military refuses to work with them.