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Unwave Stepovyi Viter

2026 STRIKE UAV one-way attack UAV DRONE TECHNOLOGY OPTICAL GUIDANCE

History

The Unwave Stepovyi Viter is a Ukrainian medium-range strike unmanned aerial vehicle complex developed for attacks against stationary targets, armored vehicles, and personnel. The system has a reported tactical range of up to 70 km and carries a payload of up to 5 kg.

Unwave developed Stepovyi Viter with partners from Sky Composite Engineering. The aircraft uses an optical terminal-guidance system and supports automatic, semi-automatic, and manual control modes.

Unwave publicly presented Stepovyi Viter in February 2026 at the MITS x Azov Corps: Defense Technology Horizons 2026 conference. An early report stated that production testing had been completed and combat trials were expected to follow. In September 2026, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine codified the complex, enabling state procurement and supply to units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

Development and testing

At the February 2026 presentation, Unwave described Stepovyi Viter as a one-way attack UAV intended primarily for strikes against stationary targets. The company said the aircraft had been developed with a team of aviation engineers from Kropyvnytskyi. According to an early presentation report, production testing had been completed by that time.

The early description stated that one Stepovyi Viter complex included five UAVs, a ground control station, and a catapult. A later report issued when the system was codified described the aircraft as launching from a starting stand without a catapult. The available sources therefore describe different launch arrangements at different stages of the program.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense subsequently codified Stepovyi Viter in 2026. Codification permits the system to be purchased through state procurement procedures and supplied to Ukrainian defense units.

Design

Stepovyi Viter is designed as a strike UAV for medium-range missions. Its reported tactical radius is up to 70 km, while the maximum route length exceeds 90 km. Maximum flight endurance is stated as up to 65 minutes.

The UAV can carry a payload of up to 5 kg. It is equipped with an optical guidance-refinement system for the final phase of an attack. The earlier public description stated that the system can automatically acquire a target and that an operator can detect and lock a target from approximately 1,000 m.

Unwave stated that the aircraft uses Ukrainian-made digital communications. The control system supports automatic, semi-automatic, and manual operating modes. Deployment of the complex takes up to 20 minutes. An earlier description also gave a packing time of approximately 10 minutes.

Launch system

The September 2026 codification report states that the UAV launches from a starting stand without a catapult. This differs from the February 2026 public description, which listed a catapult as part of the complex. The sources do not establish whether the launch system was redesigned or whether the descriptions refer to different configurations.

Guidance

Stepovyi Viter uses optical terminal guidance to refine the attack during the final stage of flight. Unwave stated during the initial presentation that the guidance-refinement system was developed in-house and incorporates automatic target lock.

Program status

By September 2026, the Stepovyi Viter complex had received official codification from the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. This status allows the system to be procured by the state and supplied to Ukrainian Defense Forces units. The available material does not provide confirmed quantities delivered or evidence of operational employment.