SSU Abandons Altius Attack Drones after Failures at Front

The SSU has stopped using Anduril’s Altius drones due to vulnerability to Russian electronic warfare systems.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the drones were losing communication and failing to hit targets.

Due to frequent malfunctions and unreliability, the SSU finally abandoned their use in 2024.

However, the company claims that its drones were used to hit a significant number of Russian targets.

Anduril is known, in particular, as the manufacturer of the Altius 600M and Altius 700M kamikaze UAVs.

The Altius 600M is a multipurpose unmanned aerial vehicle with a modular design and an arsenal of payloads weighing up to 3 kilograms.

The drone is controlled by an operator from a ground control station or in an autonomous mode along a programmed route.

The drone can stay in the air for up to 4 hours and cover a distance of up to 440 km.

The Altius 700M is a heavier version of the previous drone, with the warhead weighing 15 kilograms.

The drone is positioned as a strike weapon to hit targets at long distances.

Anduril Industries claims that the Altius 700M has a range of 160 km and a loitering time of 75 minutes.

This year, the United Kingdom ordered both versions of the multi-purpose drones for Ukraine – Altius 600M and Altius 700M.