Its name is Toloka. And it is making a big difference in the Black Sea war..Operating like a small submarine, it’s actually a robot drone, packed with explosives. And it is causing havoc with the beleaguered Russian Navy..What exactly is this thing and how does it work?.According to a report in Naval News, the made-in-Ukraine Toloka TLK-150 maritime drone is quite small, only 2.5 metres (eight feet) long — making it difficult to detect..Unusually it has twin thrusters mounted on small wing-like stabilizers and a large keel. Combined with a separate rudder and forward mounted dive planes that provide excellent agility..There is a very tall mast with cameras and communications devices. The keel may be to balance this mast, the report said..It is possible that this can be used as a periscope for intelligence gathering missions close to the enemy shore. It might also allow “human in the loop” navigation and aiming to carry out attacks..This small weapon complements the now famous unmanned surface vessels (USVs) which already threaten the Russian Navy in its main base at Sevastopol..There are also two larger unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) on the drawing board which pack an even bigger punch..The TLK-400 is over twice as long at 4-6 metres (13 to 20 feet). It also has a much larger diameter body inferring greater range and payload..The TLK-1000 would be much larger again, up to 12 metres (40 feet) in length and with four thrusters..It is unclear whether these larger designs have been built, the report said..TLK-1000 has a reported combat charge of up to 5,000 kilograms and a range of 2,000 kilometres; the TLK-400 has a charge of 500 kilograms and a range of 1200 kilometres; while the TLK 150 has a warhead of up to 50 kilograms and a range of 100 kilometres..These claims, however, cannot be verified..Ukraine is quickly gaining a reputation for innovation and ingenuity..Faced with the Russian invasion, many inventors and small businesses are answering the call of national defence. New designs are surfacing all the time..A new group, Brave1, was established to harness this creativity, and bring it together in an efficient and coordinated way.. Olenegorsky hitA Ukrainian naval drone hits the Russian landing craft Olenegorsky Gornyak. .Thus was born the Toloka TLK-150 maritime drone. The threat of anti-ship missiles, such as the ones which sunk the cruiser Moskva, have pushed the Russian Navy back over the horizon..And innovative weaponized USVs have helped keep them penned up in their ports..It is suspected a Ukrainian UUV seriously damaged a Russian warship. the Olenegorsky Gornyak, at its Black Sea base last week..It's the first time the Ukrainian navy has projected its power so far from the country's shores. According to intelligence sources, the Russian Navy landing ship was hit by a sea drone carrying 450 kilograms of TNT, rendering it dead in the water..While Ukraine has its hands full with a much stronger adversary, one thing is clear — hidden submersible drones are capable of delivering a nasty surprise.
