tu-143 reis (381f9b9a-617c-4908-9081-2b1d0e6507b2)
The Tupolev Tu‑143 Reys is a Soviet‑designed, turbojet‑powered unmanned aerial vehicle built for short‑range tactical reconnaissance. Launched from a truck‑mounted rail with a JATO booster and recovered by parachute, the drone flies at up to 981 km/h for roughly 13 minutes, covering about 200 km at a service ceiling of 5 km. Its modest 2.74 m wingspan and 1 230 kg launch weight accommodate camera, TV or SIGINT payloads, but it carries no built‑in weapons. After the Cold War the Tu‑143 remained in service with Russia, Syria, North Korea, Belarus and, notably, Ukraine, where it has been adapted as an improvised strike platform—often termed a “suicide” or cruise‑missile drone—against Russian air‑defence assets.