After a flock of Ukrainian kamikaze drones were able to reach Moscow, which is around 500 km from the border, innovators felt increasingly confident in presenting a type of long-range drone with an increased range.
From a fundraising system, the Ukrainian Security Service is currently developing a long-range drone capable of flying as far as 800 km, which is said to be the longest-range drone produced by Ukraine.
The drone is called Morok (meaning darkness in Ukrainian). This air vehicle has a flight range of 800 km, or almost 500 miles. An invitation to donate to Morocco was published on the official social media of the Security Service of Ukraine.
The total amount of funds required is UAH 60 million for 33 drones. This means that a drone might cost around ₴1.81 million, or around US$ 50,000. The price may include development costs.
In comparison, the Shahed-136 mass-produced in Iran is estimated to cost US$20,000 to US$50,000 per unit. In a post on the X Twitter account, the Ukrainian Security Service included two photos that are more like renderings but still provide clues about the design of the Morok loitering munition.
At first glance, the fuselage shape of the drone is very unusual: the wing configuration generally resembles a canard, but it lacks a forward section and has a vertical stabilizer. There are allegations that the Morok design used a tailless configuration, which is rarely used in modern aviation.
According to Breaking News in USA Today, the Ukrainian kamikaze drone attack at the end of August 2023, could have been carried out by Morocco targeting the Soltsy (Russian Federation) air base.
According to the analysis, Russia's capabilities in the field of air defense and electronic warfare force Ukrainian intelligence to carefully plan each drone attack.
Sources close to Morok development say that this drone has been used during attacks in Crimea. After a series of tests, the developer plans that Morok will later be mass produced. However, in Ukraine there are several challenges, such as resources to expand production, lack of a unified purchasing structure, bureaucracy and spare parts acquisition.