The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) demonstrated the first maritime drone, which was manufactured thanks to a large-scale volunteer fundraising campaign.
It was organised by the UNITED24 fundraising platform together with monobank and Oleh Horokhovskyy, volunteers Serhiy Sternenko and Ihor Lachenkov.
It is noted that in record time, thanks to Ukrainian business, international donors and Ukrainians, almost UAH 300 million was raised for 35 Sea Baby SBU maritime drones.
The first drone in this batch, which the SBU showed during testing, was called Avdiyivka. It differs from the previous generation, including in appearance. Sea Baby 2024 is a new generation drone, which is improved and even more deadly for the enemy.
"The future belongs to technological approaches in warfare. Today, the SBU is trying to be the first in this direction, and it is really succeeding. In the ranks of the Service, we have trained unique specialists in maritime drones to further improve and scale the work on clearing the Black Sea from the enemy. Our task is to destroy the occupiers and bring the Victory closer," said SBU chief Vasyl Malyuk.
Like every model of maritime drones, Avdiyivka will undergo a full cycle of sea trials. In the process, the SBU development team will adapt the latest onboard weaponry specially designed and manufactured for use on multi-purpose platforms such as the Sea Baby.
"The new SeaBaby 2024 has improved technical characteristics, greater combat and manoeuvrability. It is capable of delivering almost a tonne of explosives over a distance of over a thousand kilometres. The SBU conceived this drone as a universal platform on which various weapons will be deployed," said Hunter, a brigadier general of the SBU.
The special service recalled that it was with the help of maritime drones that the SBU blew up the Crimea bridge and hit a total of 11 Russian warships.