Main image: French drone manufacturer Delair displays a model of the Ukraine supplied OSKAR short range loitering munition at Euronaval (Breaking Defense)
As part of the French Colibri project, Ukraine is set to receive 100 OSKAR (Opportunity Strike Kinetics Aircraft Ruggedised) drones, part of a batch of 2,000 drones of various types purchased by France. OSKAR drones were developed by French manufacturers Delair and KNDS France, and according to Delair's CEO Bastien Mancini, preparations for shipment to Ukraine are already underway.
Mancini declined to share further details about the new deliveries, but they align with the timeline announced in October by French Minister of Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu. At that time, Lecornu mentioned "successful tests" of these munitions and confirmed that shipments to Ukraine would begin "in the coming weeks."
The OSKAR drones are based on Delair's UX11 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and modified to carry a 2.3-kilogram warhead. The drones are capable of flying for up to 45 minutes and are designed to target stationary objects, light vehicles, and personnel. They are compact and can be transported in a backpack.
"We had six months to turn [our] demonstration model into an operational product... operational within the constraints of munitions. This phase is now completed, and the drones [OSKAR] are being sent to Ukraine. They are on their way, but I have no further details," Mancini said in an interview with Breaking Defense.
