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Ukraine Starts Using Swedish 155 BONUS Smart Shells via UAVs in Technical Shift
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Technological and tactical methods in the Russian war against Ukraine have shifted as heavy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are now being used to deliver 155mm ammunition. This includes the use of the 155 BONUS, a sophisticated submunition developed in Sweden.
A video has been released showing a Ukrainian team dropping a French-Swedish 155mm BONUS smart shell onto a Russian Buk anti-aircraft system. As the released submunition deployed and descended, its infrared and lidar sensors located the target. It then fired a molten copper slug into the roof of the Russian vehicle, performing a classic top-attack strike, according to John Spencer in X on February 17.
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The tactical landscape in Ukraine has changed significantly since the start of the Russian invasion. Ukraine’s early successes often depended on traditional artillery movements. However, the Russian Federation has since developed a strong counter-battery capability.
The combination of advanced radar systems and constant electronic warfare has made operating stationary howitzers much more dangerous. Because jamming and rapid return fire have made conventional artillery more difficult to use, drones have emerged to fill the resulting operational gap.
Ukraine's New Weapon: Dropping Swedish 155mm Smart Shells from Drones https://t.co/IsESWJ228d
— John Spencer (@SpencerGuard) February 17, 2026
There has been a technical and tactical shift in the Ukrainian conflict, where heavy-lift unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been adapted to deliver 155mm ordnance, including the…
A Bonus smart shell dropped from a heavy drone fires a molten copper bullet at the Buk air defense system. (Video: Twitter)
A central development in this transition is the use of heavy drones capable of carrying 155mm shells. This represents a low-cost but highly effective evolution in modern warfare. By moving from small improvised grenades to standard 155mm rounds, including the Swedish 155 BONUS, Ukrainian forces are achieving high-precision results without using a traditional line of guns.
This hybrid method allows for precise strikes on high-value targets. It also avoids the detection systems that typically monitor and direct artillery duels.
Earlier, Ukrainian Special Operations Forces struck several Russian military targets in occupied territories, destroying an Iskander missile storage site in Crimea and a “Rubikon” drone control center in the Zaporizhzhia region.
These attacks, which took place between February 9 and 14, used drones to hit over ten facilities, including ammunition depots, fuel stores, and troop locations.
The Ukrainian military also targeted a major oil terminal in southern Russia and a Pantsir-S1 air defense system to reduce the enemy’s economic and offensive strength. These operations followed reports that a Russian soldier from the elite “Rubikon” unit had defected to Ukraine to provide internal information about his unit’s operations.
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