Dovbush T40 Long-Range UAV

History

The Dovbush T40 is a Ukrainian long-range unmanned aircraft developed for deep reconnaissance, artillery-fire correction and precision strikes far behind the front line. It was officially codified and cleared for military use by Ukraine's Ministry of Defense in August 2026.

The aircraft combines an endurance of more than 24 hours with a reported operational range of about 2,000 km or more. Its missions can include reconnaissance, fire adjustment and attacks against structures, equipment and personnel.

The T40 was developed using experience gained from the smaller Dovbush T20 and Kotyhoroshko unmanned aircraft, which the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense said had been used in combat since 2022.

Development and codification

The Dovbush T40 was produced by an unnamed Ukrainian company with previous experience in unmanned aircraft. The design represents a larger and longer-range development of concepts used in the Dovbush T20 and Kotyhoroshko systems. The T20 was intended for medium-range reconnaissance, real-time artillery-fire correction and precision strikes, while the T40 expanded these functions to much greater distances.

Ukraine's Ministry of Defense announced the codification of the Dovbush T40 on August 17, 2026. According to the ministry information reported by The New Voice of Ukraine and RBC-Ukraine, the system was designed for strategic-level deep reconnaissance, fire correction and precision strikes at substantial distances from the line of contact.

Reports describing the codification stated that the aircraft had met the tactical and technical requirements established by its developers during testing. TechRadar also reported that no production quantity, payload capacity or detailed production schedule had been publicly disclosed at that time.

TechUkraine described the codification as enabling procurement, production and operational deployment of the system. The available sources, however, do not establish when serial production began or how many T40 aircraft had been manufactured.

Design

Airframe

The Dovbush T40 uses a twin-boom configuration with a low-mounted central fuselage nacelle and a high-mounted wing. The tail structure incorporates a V-shaped empennage. Its wingspan is reported as nearly 5 m.

The aircraft is designed for long-endurance missions. Officially cited figures state that it can remain airborne for more than 24 hours. Published accounts describe an operational range of approximately 2,000 km, while several English-language reports characterize the range as exceeding 2,000 km. Ukrainian defense reporting stated that this reach was sufficient for missions against targets beyond the Urals and into parts of Siberia.

Powerplant

An internal-combustion engine is installed at the rear of the central fuselage and drives a pusher propeller. Reports citing the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense describe the powerplant as using electronic fuel injection. No engine model, power rating or fuel capacity has been publicly specified in the supplied sources.

Mission equipment and survivability

The T40 is intended to perform deep reconnaissance and artillery-fire correction as well as strike missions. Ukrainian Ministry of Defense statements describe the aircraft as having very low radar visibility and high resistance to electronic-warfare interference. Detailed radar-cross-section measurements and the methods used to evaluate its resistance to electronic warfare have not been publicly disclosed in the supplied material.

The aircraft can reportedly be configured for different strike missions. Descriptions of the system mention both a one-way attack configuration and a configuration capable of releasing munitions. The available sources do not specify the type, number or mass of weapons carried.

Operational history

According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Dovbush T40 participated in the Ukrainian attack on Novorossiysk on August 12, 2026. The supplied source associates the operation with attacks on military vessels in the port. No detailed account of the number of T40 aircraft involved or their individual targets is provided.

Five days later, on August 17, 2026, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense announced that the Dovbush T40 had been codified and approved for use by Ukrainian forces. This established the system as an authorized Ukrainian military unmanned aircraft, although the supplied sources do not disclose the size of its inventory or its production rate.

Specifications (Dovbush T40)

General characteristics

• Type: Long-range unmanned aircraft system
• Configuration: Twin-boom airframe with central nacelle, high-mounted wing and V-shaped tail
• Wingspan: Nearly 5 m
• Powerplant: Internal-combustion engine with electronic fuel injection
• Propeller arrangement: Rear-mounted pusher propeller

Performance

• Endurance: More than 24 hours
• Operational range: Approximately 2,000 km; several reports describe the range as exceeding 2,000 km

Mission capabilities

• Reconnaissance: Deep reconnaissance at long distance from the front line
• Fire support: Artillery-fire correction
• Strike configurations: One-way attack or munition-release missions
• Electronic warfare: Described by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense as highly resistant to electronic-warfare interference
• Radar signature: Described by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense as extremely low

Related equipment

• Dovbush T20: Smaller Ukrainian unmanned aircraft used for medium-range reconnaissance, artillery-fire correction and precision strikes. It provided operational experience that contributed to development of the T40.
• Kotyhoroshko: Earlier unmanned aircraft from the same manufacturer, reported by Ukraine's Ministry of Defense as being in combat use since 2022.