UKRAINE, Jun. 17 — Ukrainian company Center of Innovative Technologies Program developed an electronic warfare (EW) resistant missile called DART that can be launched from stratospheric balloons at an altitude of 12 to 18 kilometers (~8-11 miles), said Militarnyi, a Ukrainian defense media outlet.

According to Militarnyi, the DART’s total hull length is 1.84 meters (~6 feet), and its empty weight is 13 kilograms (~29 pounds). Depending on the configuration, the explosive part can weigh 3.5 to 10 kilograms (~7.7-22 pounds) and consist of graphite striking elements.

Special servo drives ensure precise activation and stable flight performance across the missile’s full range of launch conditions. 

At the start of its flight the DART is guided by a navigation system. Once it reaches an altitude of about 6 kilometers (~3.7 miles), the navigation system is completely shut down, the solid-fuel engine is activated, and the missile continues toward its target without changing course.

Shutting down the systems during the flight to the target prevents Russian EW systems from interfering with the missile.

At the same time, the Center of Innovative Technologies Program said that aerostats are a collaborative development.

According to the developers, DART will undergo codification by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine in the near future.

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