Ukraine’s Birds of Magyar unit published video of one of their FPV interceptors hitting a Russian Forpost-R drone, the largest yet to fall victim in this way. It is a notable success — the interceptor cost around $2k, the half-ton Forpost-R is more like $7 million – but it is also a symptom of another subtle shift in drone warfare.
A Russian-Israeli Heavyweight
Forpost (“Outpost”) is Russian-made, but is a licensed copy of the Israeli IAI Searcher II drone which first flew in 1998. The Russian version entered service in 2019, three years after Israel ceased to supply parts. The Russians reportedly redesigned the Forpost to use only locally made components. It is still an oddity that Russian employs the Israeli-descended Forpost next to its Iranian Shaheds, highlighting weaknesses in Russia’s own drone design capability.
Forpost is one of the largest Russian drones, with a wingspan of over 34 feet and a takeoff weight of more than 1100 pounds. It is designed to carry out a similar role to the Predator, long-endurance reconnaissance missions, with a flight endurance of more than 18 hours and a ceiling of 18,500 feet. It is a propeller driven, and normally cruises at 70-90 mph with a maximum speed of 120 mph.
The Russians have adapted Forpost-R for attack missions, carrying a pair of KAB-20 laser-guided bombs. These weigh 45 pounds each and can carry out precision attacks on armored vehicles, bunkers and other targets.
Forpost has rarely been seen in the Ukraine conflict, featuring mainly in Russian propaganda videos. One crashed in Belgorod in January 2023 and the Ukrainian air force downed one in April 2024 and another in July. But over the Easter weekend, Russian operators decided to carry out a strike using a Forpost armed with two bombs, in spite of the supposed ceasefire. And it ran into some determined defenders.
Magyar Strikes Again
Birds of Magyar, commanded by the celebrated Robert Brovdi (callsign “Magyar”) is one of Ukraine’s most successful drone units. Brovdi originally created the unit as a volunteer drone platoon in 2022, since then a long string of successes has seen it grow to a company, a battalion, and now a full regiment. Much of this is due to the rapid assimilation and adoption of new drone technologies – including aerial interceptors to take down Russian drones.
Brovdi posted the video on his Telegram channel, showing an FPV intercepting the Forpost-R, and with typical strong language. He says the FPV was piloted personally by the commander of the Birds of Magyar’s interceptor unit, and the intercept took place at 13,000 feet.
The video shows the FPV approaching the tail for Forpost before it cuts out, presumably when the FPV’s warhead was triggered. Brovdi says the Forpost was damaged and they tracked it by radar oi where it came down over Russian territory; he regrets not being able to pick up an unusual trophy from the encounter.
Russian Telegram channels quoted by Samuel Bendett naturally enough tell a different story. Claiming that the Forpost was not seriously damaged and that it landed safely. Naturally no evidence is presented for this.
Wider Significance
While the interception is a notable achievement in its own right, it does also have wider significance.
It is not news that Ukrainian interceptors can operate above 10,000 feet, though this may be the highest strike officially recorded. Nor is it news that the interceptor teams are coordinated with the overall air defense systems, in particular the Sky Hunter radar. But the increasing speed, range and effectiveness of interceptors, coupled with the increased coverage and accuracy of detection systems, will make it increasingly difficult for anything to survive in unfriendly airspace.
This comes at the same time as reports of yet another U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone being downed by Houthi forces. Like the Forpost/Searcher, the Reaper is a relatively low-speed, low-agility aircraft without stealth or other defensive aides, which has little chance of surviving in air-to-air combat of any sort. This is apparently the sixth Reaper to be lost since March. Reapers cost around $30 million each. As of 2024 the USAF had a total of 224, to the current attrition rate is an unsustainable 3% a month. The Houthis rely on surface-to-air missiles supplied by Iran, but any future opponent is likely to have access to low-cost interceptors like those seen in Ukraine.
It is notable that Ukraine’s own fleet of Bayraktar drones, large craft somewhere between Forpost and Reaper, have stayed very much in the background. After early successes in the strike role, they were pulled back as Russian tactical air defence improved.
Birds of Magyar also operate small reconnaissance drones, and report losing 228 of them in April. Each drone survives an average of 45 flights and costs a few thousand dollars, making them ‘attritable’ assets: losses are expected and there is a steady flow of replacements.
Going forward, larger drones may need to be better protected, which will add to the cost, or made more affordable — we have already looked at how the U.S. could replace Reapers with low cost alternatives – or whether they will become motherships, remaining at long range and launching small attritable or expendable drones into enemy territory.
