Defence Intelligence of Ukraine Reveals Capabilities of Magura v7 Marine Drones

Defence Intelligence of Ukraine has shared the specifications of the new generation Magura v7 naval drones, used to down two Russian Su-30 fighter jets in May.

Details about the new unmanned system were shared with a Militarnyi correspondent at a closed presentation by the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.

Developed by the company Uforce, the naval drone is now three times larger than its predecessor, the Magura v5, and, with its increased payload capacity, is now positioned as a multifunctional platform.

The 7.2-meter boat with a fiberglass hull has become two tons heavier, reaching a total weight of 3,400 kg, and slower — its cruising speed is 23 knots, with a maximum speed of at least 39 knots. The increased size and weight have improved the drone’s seaworthiness, allowing it to be effectively used in sea conditions with up to 3-meter waves, whereas the smaller version was limited to 2-meter waves.

The focus of the new platform’s development was on greater autonomy — the drone can perform operations for at least 48 hours, or up to 7 days if “operating with a generator,” as stated by the developers.

Thanks to increased fuel tanks, now holding up to 1,200 liters, and an efficient diesel engine (270 hp), the drone’s range has been extended from 450 to 800 nautical miles, or 1,500 kilometers.

The Magura v7 is capable of carrying up to 650 kg of payload. This allows simultaneous installation of a warhead and additional armament: a turret with a machine gun or a paired launch system for two surface-to-air missiles.

The integrated machine gun turret has its own gyro-stabilized optical module with both a daytime and thermal imaging observation channel, and is likely operated by a separate operator.

The air defense configuration of the Magura v7, presented at the briefing, was equipped with two aviation pylons. These are used as fixed guides for AIM-9M missiles with the ability to adjust the vertical angle.

The horizontal guidance of the missiles is achieved by rotating the drone’s body. This should be sufficient, as the missile’s infrared homing head has a field of view of 60–67 degrees.

The commander of Group 13, responding to questions regarding the choice of American “air-to-air” missiles, noted that in the future, drones will also be equipped with the Soviet counterpart, the R-73 missile.

The Magura v7 capabilities are not limited to strike missions. Its developers envision it taking on logistical tasks such as cargo delivery, patrolling, and even firefighting operations. It has been stated that the new drone will be capable of carrying acoustic monitoring systems for the marine environment.

Like the previous version, the new drone uses a multi-channel satellite communication system, making it resistant to interference from enemy electronic warfare systems.