Russia has unveiled a new drone called Joker, capable of remaining in a prolonged state of dormancy before being activated to strike its target, according to the Russian news agency TASS.
The new drone is designed to evade electronic countermeasures and can be put into a dormant state for hours, days, or even weeks before being activated to carry out targeted attacks.
The Joker was developed at the Central Design Bureau, and its director, Dmitry Kuziakin, explained that the concept behind the dormancy feature is to allow Russian forces to position the drone near military targets, where it will remain hidden until the designated moment when the operator will activate it to execute the attacks.
Kuziakin stated, “The drone equipped with the dormancy feature can take a position for an attack and go dormant for several weeks,” adding that the aircraft is electronically invisible while in the dormant state. When the moment comes, the drone needs just a few seconds to be activated for the mission.
He continued, “The drone does not appear on radar while in the dormant state… We need a few seconds between activating the drone and the attack, leaving no chance for countermeasures to be launched. The dormancy feature saves us time compared to sending the drone from a distant location to carry out the attack.”
Samuel Bennett, an expert on Russian weapon systems working with military organizations, including the Naval Analysis Center, tweeted that the unclear aspect of this concept is what happens when battle lines change suddenly. These dormant drones are left behind and discovered. He stated that using this type of drone may be helpful for a short period, but putting it in prolonged dormancy may not be beneficial.
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has witnessed an increasing use of drones on the battlefield, and the Joker drone is a natural progression in this direction. Currently, the skies of Ukraine are filled with drones used by both sides to identify targets.
Reports have indicated that Russian authorities have deployed “Orlan-10” drones to gather intelligence and disrupt communication networks in Ukraine.
These unmanned aerial vehicles are manufactured by a company based in St. Petersburg and are exclusively used by the Russian military. They are designed with a sleek profile, making them difficult to detect, and can be launched using a catapult and parachute.
