Ukrainian defence companies Culver Aerospace and GLEFA have unveiled the Behemoth, a new medium-range strike drone that has already been deployed in combat. Details of the new system, which bears visual and operational similarities to the Iranian-designed Shahed loitering munitions used extensively by Russia, emerged on May 21.

The Behemoth is capable of hitting targets up to 300km (185 miles) away and carrying a payload of up to 75kg (165lb). The drone is equipped with a tandem warhead that combines an explosively formed penetrator—also known as a shock core—with a thermobaric charge. Designed to fly at low altitudes to reduce the likelihood of detection by enemy air defences, the Behemoth can operate autonomously or in FPV mode, using the Starlink system for communication.

The development comes as Ukraine surpasses Russia in the number of long-range drone strikes conducted in a single month. Ukrainian deep-strike drones have increasingly targeted Russian oil refineries, naval infrastructure, airbases and military facilities deep within Russian territory. The developers also introduced a separate Behemoth Deepstrike version, though technical specifications for this variant have not yet been publicly disclosed.

Production and development of such systems are being significantly bolstered by international partnerships. In April, Culver Aerospace signed a cooperation agreement with the German defence firm Helsing to jointly develop and produce drones at a factory in Germany, a project funded by the German government.

Furthermore, on February 24, Culver Aerospace concluded a five-year agreement with Denmark’s Copenhagen Global A/S. This partnership, part of a broader €800m package of accords between Ukrainian and European defence manufacturers, will focus on medium-range systems of up to 400km (250 miles) and long-range strike systems capable of reaching 2,500km (1,550 miles)