Ukraine to get 300 DefendTex ‘kamikaze’ drones – video

Defence think tank the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) has revealed that Ukraine is to purchase 300 Australian-made DefendTex Drone40s – a system not yet procured in quantity by Australia’s defence forces.

ASPI reported a podcast with Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko in which he said that Ukraine had been searching for systens useful in its battle against Russian invaders among Australian defence suppliers.

ASPI Executive Director Justin Bassi asked the ambassador if Kyiv had specifically requested the Australian-made DefendTex Drone40 now being provided to Ukraine.

‘Absolutely,’ said Myroshnychenko. ‘These are basically fighting drones. We can inflict damage remotely and thus save lives of our personnel.’

The D40 is a drone small enough that it can be launched from a grenade launcher or thrown into the air (see video of launch below).

Normally equipped with intelligence gathering sensors, one variant can carry a grenade, loiter over a target and attack an armoured vehicle, weapons dump or group of soldiers.

According to DefendTex the drone was developed with support from Australia’s Defence Innovation Hub.

It boasts a ‘low cost per unit’, flies autonomously and has been purchased by the United Kingdom and tested by the United States.

Then defence minister Melissa Price and Senator David Van visited the Melbourne company in 2019 and announced $2 million in innovation support.

Price said then: “Small business is the backbone of the Australian economy and the Defence Innovation Hub is just one avenue for these businesses to succeed in our defence industry.”

Picture: DefendTex

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