Ukraine intercepted and destroyed a rare Russian reconnaissance drone Tax-450Mused for deep surveillance and guidance of missile strikes Iskander.
According to the site Defence Blogthe information was shared by Wild Hornetsa Ukrainian organization/company that develops interceptor drones. According to them, the interception was carried out by the unit’s operators STRIX.
“The operators of the unit STRIX destroyed a rare drone equipped with optical and thermal imaging systems, used for deep aerial reconnaissance and guidance of Iskander strikes. During the war, only 10-20 of these UAVs were destroyed,” the company said.
The drone family Tax is used by Russian forces for aerial reconnaissance and surveillance missions. The platform is equipped with optical and thermal imaging systems and is designed to detect and track targets in various conditions, including low visibility and night operations.
This type of UAV plays an important role in the implementation of long-range strike systems. By identifying targets and transmitting coordinates, reconnaissance drones like the Tax can support precision strikes by missile systems like theIskanderincreasing their effectiveness against fixed and moving targets.
The platform is described as having an unconventional fuselage design, including a wing shape intended to reduce radar visibility while maintaining aerodynamic efficiency.
The drone structure also minimizes protruding components, reducing the risk of damage during landing, including parachute recovery. It is designed to operate in a wide temperature range, from -45°C to 45°C, allowing deployment in different climates.
More detailed open source information about the Tax-450M and its variants still remain quite limited. It is considered one of the least documented reconnaissance systems in Russian service.
However, the reported use of Tax-450M for guiding strikes Iskander makes it a high-value target. Disrupting such systems can reduce the effectiveness of long-range missile attacks by decreasing the quality and timeliness of targeting information.
Photo: Wild Hornets. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
