Syrian Arab Army (SAA) units in the northwestern Hama countryside shot down on December 11 an armed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
The state-run news agency said the armed UAV, which came from Greater Idlib, was attempting to strike a target in the town of Furaykah.
Pro-government activists released a photo of the drone, which appeared identical to the type used before to attack the Russian Hmeimim airbase on the Syrian coast. The UAV was armed with several small-diameter munitions.
Click to see original-size image.
This type of armed drones is reportedly being manufactured and operated by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the former branch of al-Qaeda in Syria.
The Russian Ministry of Defense had accused the U.S. of facilitating similar drone attacks. Many reports by Sputnik also claimed that HTS is receiving these drones and their parts from Turkey.
A crappy looking design. Appears HTS drone manufacturing business has taken a big hit. LITERALLY. :)
I was actually pretty impressed. Judging by those guys walking around the tail boom, that thing had to have a wingspan of something like 200′. Then I noticed the guy’s hand on the left side of the picture.