Russians developed new aircraft cover to protect against Ukrainian drones

10 September, 2023 A Russian Su-27 under a newly created cover. Photo credits: Fighterbomber (Ilya Tumanov) Russians will construct new covers over their aircraft to protect them from Ukrainian drone attacks.

Russian propagandist Fighterbomber (Ilya Tumanov) published the photos. He reports that this cover was developed within a few days and can be used for almost any type of tactical aircraft and some types of helicopters. If necessary, tarpaulin curtains saturated with refractory substances can be added to the front and rear of the cover.

It is noted that such a cover costs about RUB 10 million (£102 thousand), and one of the enterprises donated it to the Russian military.

A Russian Su-27 under a newly created cover. Photo credits: Fighterbomber (Ilya Tumanov)

Most likely, such a defense will not be able to stop drones with high-explosive warheads without additional coverage. On the night of August 27, SSU military counterintelligence attacked a military airfield in Kursk using "cardboard" drones with a high-explosive warhead.

Tumanov claims that this solution is not official and that the operation of such protective structures without a corresponding decision from Moscow could lead to legal liability. "As it is completely unclear how and on what basis the technical documentation for such structures will be approved, how they will be put on the balance sheet, and who will pay millions, or simply go to jail if a beam falls off during operation and damages an expensive part in the plane, or cuts off the head of some military personnel. Or a pilot will crash into it while trying to make a turn," Tumanov said.

Militarnyi previously reported that Russians were trying to protect Tu-95 turboprop-powered strategic bombers with car tires.

Satellite image of a Russian Tu-95MS strategic bomber at the Engels air base, September 2023.

Photo credits: Maxar

In addition, the Russian media published a photo of a Su-34 fighter bomber with homemade tire protection.

It is not clear whether such protection will be effective given the flammability of tires and the difficulty of extinguishing them.