Bars

History

Bars is a Ukrainian jet-powered unmanned strike aircraft developed by a private manufacturer whose identity has not been publicly disclosed. The system combines jet propulsion with ground launch and is intended for attacks at medium and long ranges.

Public information about Bars has expanded gradually since the system was first disclosed in 2025. The design has continued to evolve, with the developer reporting more than 40 upgrades and design iterations and describing Bars as a modular platform that can trade fuel capacity against warhead weight for different missions.

By September 2026, the developer described an upgraded configuration with a range of up to 1,000 km, a warhead of up to 60 kg, and a stated flight speed exceeding 700 km/h. These figures differ from specifications reported for some earlier or separately configured Bars variants.

Development and disclosure

The existence of Bars was publicly disclosed in April 2025, when Ukrainian officials referred to the weapon alongside other domestically developed long-range systems. Contemporary reporting described it as a private Ukrainian development and characterized it as a drone-missile or medium-range strike weapon. Early reports cited an estimated range of approximately 700–800 km, but detailed specifications had not yet been officially released. Kyiv Post reported that early figures circulating at the time included a possible 50–100 kg warhead, while emphasizing that exact specifications were not public.

Bars subsequently entered combat use. In November 2025, Ukraine's General Staff reported strikes on facilities including the Novokuybyshevsk refinery and released footage showing launches of Ukrainian Bars jet-powered drones. Militarnyi reported that Bars systems were involved in the operation and noted the earlier estimate of a 700–800 km range.

In December 2025, photographs and launch footage displayed by the Museum of the Russian-Ukrainian War provided additional information about the aircraft and its launch method. The footage showed Bars leaving a ground launcher with assistance from a small solid-fuel rocket booster. The booster provides the initial acceleration required before sustained jet-powered flight. UNITED24 Media reported that the ground launcher itself had not been publicly disclosed in detail.

Additional technical information appeared during Eurosatory 2026. A Bars RS configuration displayed there was reported with a 95-liter fuel tank, maximum takeoff weight of 135 kg, and a 22 kg warhead. Representatives of the manufacturer were also reported as saying that the wider Bars family could use 22 kg, 60 kg, and 105 kg warhead configurations and that another configuration had a maximum takeoff weight of up to 220 kg. The same reporting cited a cruise speed of 400–450 km/h and maximum speed of 620 km/h for the Bars family, showing that performance figures vary between configurations and disclosures. Defense Express also reported claims that Bars had accumulated approximately 7,000 launches and had been used at ranges up to 1,000 km.

By September 2026, the developer described a newer Bars configuration capable of flying up to 1,000 km while carrying a warhead of up to 60 kg. The same disclosure stated that flight speed exceeded 700 km/h. These figures should not be treated as specifications for every Bars variant because earlier Bars RS data and other reported configurations used different warhead, weight, fuel, and speed figures.

German production program

Bars is also associated with a Ukrainian-German production program under the Build with Ukraine initiative. According to The Defender, a joint Ukrainian-German venture was expected to begin producing Bars systems in Germany in September 2026, with deliveries from the joint venture to Ukrainian Defence Forces units planned from 10 October. The report stated that Germany would finance the initial production phase.

Design

Bars uses jet propulsion and is launched from the ground with the aid of small solid-fuel rocket boosters. Public launch footage indicates that the booster accelerates the aircraft during the initial phase before the main jet propulsion system sustains flight.

The developer describes Bars as a modular platform rather than a single fixed configuration. Fuel capacity and warhead weight can be adjusted to create versions optimized for different mission ranges. The developer groups these applications into three categories called DeepStrike, MiddleStrike, and FrontStrike.

This modular approach explains some of the differing specifications reported for Bars. A configuration intended for greater range can allocate more internal capacity to fuel, while another configuration can carry a heavier warhead at the expense of other parameters. Published figures therefore need to be associated with the particular Bars configuration being discussed.

Guidance and control

The developer has stated that artificial intelligence tools are used during development and in guidance-related functions, including machine vision. During the terminal phase, the operator can retain manual control or transfer control to an optical terminal guidance system. The available public information does not define the complete navigation architecture or the degree of autonomy used during other phases of flight.

Propulsion and launch

Bars uses a jet engine for sustained flight. The developer has stated that the turbojet engines are procured from external suppliers and that engine delivery times constrain production growth. The reported localization rate of the system exceeds 74 percent.

Ground launch uses a small solid-fuel booster. The exact configuration of the ground launcher has not been publicly disclosed.

Warhead and fuel configurations

Warhead capacity differs across the Bars family. The September 2026 disclosure described an upgraded version with a warhead of up to 60 kg. Separate reporting from Eurosatory 2026 identified 22 kg, 60 kg, and 105 kg warhead configurations across the broader Bars family. The Bars RS shown at Eurosatory was specifically reported with a 22 kg warhead and a 95-liter fuel tank.

Operational history

Bars has been used by Ukrainian forces against targets associated with Russia's war against Ukraine. In November 2025, Ukraine's General Staff reported attacks on the Novokuybyshevsk refinery in Russia's Samara region, a fuel and lubricants pumping station, and a Rubikon UAV storage site in Russian-occupied territory. Bars jet-powered drones were reported as being used in the operation.

Defense Express reported in June 2026 that Bars weapons had been used against targets in Russia at distances up to 1,000 km. The publication also reported possible Bars involvement in large attacks against Moscow in May and June 2026, while noting that some attribution was based on available imagery and Russian-source assessments rather than complete official disclosure.

Variants

• Bars baseline configuration — Early form of the jet-powered strike UAV. Later developer statements said the platform had undergone more than 40 upgrades and iterations from its first basic design.
• Upgraded Bars configuration — Version described in September 2026 with a stated range of up to 1,000 km, warhead of up to 60 kg, and flight speed exceeding 700 km/h.
• Bars RS — Configuration publicly displayed at Eurosatory 2026. Reported specifications include a 135 kg maximum takeoff weight, 95-liter fuel tank, and 22 kg warhead.
• DeepStrike, MiddleStrike, and FrontStrike configurations — Developer-defined mission categories created by adjusting the balance between fuel capacity and warhead weight. Public information does not provide a complete specification set for each category.
• Bars SM Gladiator — A designation reported by Russian sources in connection with possible Bars variants used in attacks in 2026. Available evidence does not establish its specifications or status with the same level of confidence as the publicly displayed Bars RS.

Operators

• Ukraine — Bars is used by Ukraine's Defence Forces for strike missions. Ukrainian military reporting and launch footage confirm operational use.

Specifications (upgraded Bars configuration, 2026)

General characteristics

• Type: Jet-powered unmanned strike aircraft
• Warhead: Up to 60 kg
• Launch method: Ground launch assisted by a small solid-fuel rocket booster

Performance

• Range: Up to 1,000 km
• Flight speed: More than 700 km/h, according to the September 2026 developer disclosure

Guidance

• Terminal control: Manual operator control or transfer to an optical terminal guidance system
• Machine vision: The developer states that machine-vision technology is incorporated into guidance-related systems

Related equipment

• Peklo — Another Ukrainian jet-powered drone-missile that has been compared with Bars in early reporting because of its broadly similar long-range strike role.