Latvia Supplies Ukraine With BEAK Drone Bombers

Ukraine’s Defense Forces are using BEAK drone bombers developed by Latvia-based Origin Robotics, Forbes reported.

According to the manufacturer, the drone can strike targets at a range of up to 15 kilometers and is resistant to electronic warfare interference.

It is built from military-grade components.

The drone has a maximum takeoff weight of 11 kilograms and can carry up to three munitions totaling 4 kilograms.

In addition to strike missions, the drone can be used for reconnaissance. It is equipped with an optical module that includes both day and thermal imaging channels, capable of detecting individuals at distances of up to one kilometer.

The camera includes a stabilizer and an automatic target recognition system.

The manufacturer says the drone can fly for up to 60 minutes in reconnaissance mode, or up to 75 minutes with a dual battery.

If communication with the operator is lost, the drone automatically returns to a designated fallback location. According to the developers, BEAK drones were deployed with the 414th Brigade, known as Magyar Birds, and conducted 69 combat missions before the first loss was recorded.

The company reports that the drone has operated reliably in Ukraine with no significant malfunctions, and that operators gave positive feedback.

There are also plans to integrate precision-guided munitions, specifically the PGM-18, into future versions of the drone.

On April 29, Latvian authorities announced the delivery of a new batch of strike drones to Ukraine as part of the international drone coalition.

The shipment included 1,500 combat drones, part of a larger order of 12,000 drones to be produced by two Latvian companies for the Ukrainian Defense Forces in the first half of the year.

The estimated value of this delivery is €17 million.