All articles tagged with #long range
Ukraine demonstrates it can strike deep into Russia with domestically produced drones and missiles, hitting oil facilities and air bases and signaling a shift to long-range interdiction, while Russia responds with strikes on Ukraine and diplomatic momentum remains limited.
NPR profiles a secret Ukrainian drone unit, the First Separate Center of Unmanned Systems, which launches long-range, deep-strike drones from undisclosed eastern fields to hit targets across Russia and Russian-occupied areas, including oil refineries and logistics routes. Drones traveling up to 1,200 miles have intensified strikes in 2026, with operations at night and from hidden locations. Ukrainian commanders say drones compensate for limited missiles and are aimed at weakening Russia's economy and war machine, framing the actions as sanctions against the Kremlin.
Ukrainian GUR units are assembling and deploying Liutyi long-range kamikaze drones, decoys, and Peklo missiles in a growing night-time campaign that reaches deep into Russia—up to about 2,000 miles away—with AI-assisted Prisma planning real-time flight routes. Nightly, 200–300 drones are launched toward military facilities and oil infrastructure, including an attack near Moscow that disrupted an oil refinery. The strikes are already impacting Russia’s oil production and logistics, even as Moscow benefits from higher global oil prices; Zelenskyy has framed the effort as “long-range sanctions.”
Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) says its Liutyi deep‑strike drones can reach 1,500–1,700 km and the jet‑powered Peklo can reach 700–1,000 km, projecting an overall capability of up to 3,500 km that could put European Russia and as far east as Krasnoyarsk in Siberia within Kyiv’s strike envelope. The claim is a capability assertion, not yet demonstrated; the current confirmed long‑range record is about 1,750 km, and recent Russian missile alerts in the Urals frame the broader war context.
Ukraine said it used three locally produced long-range drones—the FP-1 Firepoint, RS-1 Bars, and a newly disclosed Bars-SM Gladiator—to strike targets in the Moscow region, including a microchip facility and an oil pumping station, in its largest attack on the capital to date, with the Moscow mayor saying over 120 drones were involved; Kyiv framed the operation as proof of cheap, homemade drones’ effectiveness against Russia’s dense air defenses, while Russia reported shooting down many drones nationwide.
Ukrainian long-range drones crossed into the Urals for the first time, traveling over 1,800 km in a 10-hour raid that hit targets in Yekaterinburg and Chelyabinsk, including a residential building, the Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant, and a military flight school, triggering regional flight restrictions and signaling Kyiv’s intent to degrade Moscow’s logistics and energy revenue while expanding the campaign beyond traditional front lines.
Germany's defence minister Boris Pistorius unveiled the Bundeswehr's first national military strategy, shifting to capability-based planning with a focus on speed, air defence, long-range precision strikes, and greater use of AI. The plan calls for a significant expansion to 460,000 personnel (active plus reserves) and a more agile bureaucracy, with deep-strike assets like long-range missiles to hit targets behind front lines; many details remain secret and the strategy is described as a living document responsive to evolving threats and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
North Korea says it tested a solid-fuel engine for a long-range missile capable of hitting the U.S. mainland, according to a government release. Independent journalists were not allowed to cover the event, and independent verification of the test was not provided.
The US is advancing with the sale of 3,350 ERAM missiles to Ukraine, aimed at enhancing Kyiv's long-range strike capabilities with low-cost, precision munitions, pending congressional approval, to support Ukraine's defense against Russian threats.
BYD has introduced a new hybrid EV powertrain that allows cars to travel over 1,200 miles without refueling or recharging. The company plans to launch two affordable sedans under $14,000 featuring this technology, potentially increasing their market share and pushing further adoption of hybrid and electric vehicles.
BYD Co. has introduced a new hybrid powertrain that can travel over 2,000 kilometers without recharging or refueling, launching it in two sedans priced under $14,000. This move aims to enhance BYD's competitive edge against major automakers like Toyota and Volkswagen.
Volkswagen has unveiled the ID.7 Tourer, one of the first electric estate cars in the upper mid-sized class in Europe, offering generous space for five people and up to 1,714 litres of luggage. With a range of up to 685 km, the ID.7 Tourer features an AR head-up display, new Wellness In-Car app, and premium-class comfort options, making it an ideal business car. Scheduled for presales in the first quarter of the year, it will be produced alongside other electric models at Volkswagen's Emden plant in Germany.
The US Army is seeking to develop a self-guided 155-mm shell, called Cannon-Delivered Area Effects Munitions (C-DAEM), that can target tanks and other vehicles even when GPS signals are jammed. The Army aims to enhance its artillery capabilities by investing in precision shells and long-range cannons. The C-DAEM shells will be autonomous, using on-board sensors to detect and home in on targets. This development comes in response to the increased use of artillery in conflicts such as the war in Ukraine, where long-range guided munitions have proven devastating. The US Army's goal is to keep pace with Chinese and Russian artillery systems and revitalize its long-neglected artillery.
Fisker has started delivering its Ocean One electric SUV to customers in the US, with 22 vehicles already delivered and more expected throughout the summer. The Ocean One boasts a range of 580 kilometers, making it one of the longest-range electric SUVs in its class. Fisker had faced delays in certification earlier this year, but deliveries have already begun in Europe. The company had to lower its production expectations for 2023 due to financial challenges and a slower ramp-up of production.
China's military drone, identified as "twin-tailed scorpion", flew around Taiwan for the first time. Capable of high-altitude, long-range missions, it is one of the largest drones in the Chinese military.