UJ-25 Skyline

The UJ-25 Skyline is a jet-powered loitering munition developed by the Ukrainian defense firm Ukrjet. Designed as a weaponized derivative of the company’s UJ-23 Topaz target drone, the system entered active service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine in late 2023. It functions as a one-way attack drone, intended to be expended during its strike mission against high-value targets deep behind enemy lines. The aircraft features a flattened, centralized fuselage with forward-swept wings, a V-tail configuration, and a rear-mounted turbojet engine aspirated through a dorsal vent. Distinct from its target-drone predecessor, the UJ-25 incorporates forward canards to aid in stability and control during its terminal phase.

Propulsion is provided by a single turbojet engine, allowing the aircraft to reach speeds estimated at 800 km/h (500 mph) with a cruising speed of 600 km/h (370 mph). This jet propulsion offers a significant tactical advantage over piston-engine loitering munitions, such as the Russian Shahed-136, by reducing the reaction time available to air defense systems. The design prioritizes low-altitude penetration and speed to evade interception. While exact payload specifications are not fully public, the platform is derived from the UJ-23, which carries a 10 kg (22 lb) payload; the UJ-25 utilizes its entire airframe as the explosive warhead upon impact. The system is reported to have a mission radius of approximately 400 km (250 mi) and an endurance of 90 minutes, with potential strike ranges extending up to 800 km (500 mi), sufficient to reach targets in central Russia.

Ukrainian forces have deployed the UJ-25 against critical infrastructure, artillery positions, and armored vehicles. The drone’s first known combat use occurred on 22 December 2023, when a unit crashed into a residential roof in Berdyansk, eastern Zaporizhzhia Oblast, without detonating. This incident allowed Russian forces to recover an intact specimen, providing valuable data on the system’s construction and guidance mechanisms. The aircraft was first publicly identified in September 2023 during a CNN interview regarding drone warfare, before appearing in operational footage later that year. The system is part of Ukraine’s broader effort to develop indigenous long-range strike capabilities to counter Russian forces and infrastructure.