A Ukrainian Backfire bomber drone returned from a strike mission last month impaled by a crude trident made of nails and steel rods, marking what appears to be the first documented use of such a weapon against unmanned aircraft. The drone was flying above 800 meters when struck from above in a blind spot, according to Ukrainian commander Alex Eine.

Drone operators initially mistook the 60-centimeter projectile for part of an antenna before discovering the improvised air defense device protruding from the fuselage. The incident highlights the increasingly creative approaches both sides are taking in the drone-saturated battlefield of the four-year-old conflict. Ukraine has invested heavily in interceptor drones, producing around 1,000 daily, while Russia has equipped some strike drones with air-to-air missiles.

While the Backfire survived the unusual attack due to its sturdy airframe, Eine noted that other drones, particularly heavy quadcopters, could be more vulnerable to such crude countermeasures. The trident strike underscores the desperate demand for air defense solutions as drones now account for the majority of battlefield kills. This novel interception method adds to the growing list of unconventional drone modifications seen throughout the conflict, including Ukraine's naval drones armed with surface-to-air missiles.