Did Russia Shoot Down Its Own Top-Secret Stealth Drone?

Stunning footage has been posted on X this AM of what appears to be a Russian Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik (‘Hunter’) attack drone shot down in a ‘friendly fire’ incident over the Donetsk region.

All reports at the moment are unconfirmed, but there is a whole bunch of footage posted on X showing what appears to be a Russian fighter jet downing the friendly Okhotnik stealth drone.

#BREAKING: #Ukraine Air Force shot down the first and only Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B armed drone of the #Russian Aerospace Forces over #Konstantinovka! The downed S-70 was flying next to a Su-57 stealth fighter jet which got away. pic.twitter.com/jr1hET9t3m

— Babak Taghvaee – The Crisis Watch (@BabakTaghvaee1) October 5, 2024

Interesting development with the downed in a friendly fire incident Russian aircraft this morning on the Donetsk front. With more videos of the wreckage and the moment of the crash now available, the consensus is that it was a Russian Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B stealth heavy unmanned… https://t.co/iG5vdbCb73 pic.twitter.com/I71FvcwkzS

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) October 5, 2024

The comical part of this shoot down, is that if it was a Russian “stealth” UCAV that was shot down then its not so “stealthy”. The radar and even the heat signature of the UCAV was such that a Russian air to air missile was able to get a “lock” on it to intercept it. https://t.co/uWDycv4XHP pic.twitter.com/9Ts9Xm3cKf

— raging545 (@raging545) October 5, 2024

Separate video footage shows the drone crash site. 

With new photos available it’s clear that it was Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik UCAV. pic.twitter.com/lkV7HK42lN

— The Military Watch (@MarcinRogowsk14) October 5, 2024

This is the first known Okhotnik stealth drone to be lost in a combat environment. There have been no official statements from Russia about the incident or who exactly shot down the drone. 

However, one X user offered their take on the situation:

During tests of the Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B stealth UAV, the Russian army lost control, causing it to head towards Ukrainian territory.

Fearing it might fall into Ukrainian hands, they used an SU-57 fighter to shoot it down over the Donetsk region. pic.twitter.com/QUe58bxQZR

— Mintel World (@mintelworld) October 5, 2024

The aviation news website AeroTime noted earlier this year that series production of the stealth drone was slated for the second half of this year. The website also provided specs on the new drone that flies with Russia’s Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jet. 

Powered by an AL-31 turbojet engine, the S-70 Okhotnik is expected to achieve speeds of up to 1,000 kilometers per hour, covering a range of 6,000 km. The Russian Defense Ministry has highlighted its advanced features, including electro-optical targeting, radio, and various reconnaissance equipment. The drone’s two internal bays can carry up to 2.8 tons of weaponry.

It is anticipated that the S-70 Okhotnik will operate collaboratively with the Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jet, extending the latter’s radar field. The drone’s stealth capabilities will enable it to designate long-range targets for the leading aircraft without being easily detected.

Considering the secrecy surrounding the stealth drone, Moscow is unlikely to ever disclose the full details of what transpired.