Widespread Destruction: Of the 31 M1A1 Abrams tanks originally delivered by the U.S. in 2023, reports indicate that at least 19 to 27 have been destroyed, captured, or disabled as of 2025.
Primary Threat: Small, inexpensive First-Person View (FPV) kamikaze drones (such as the Russian "Piranha") and loitering munitions like the Lancet have been the primary cause of these losses. These drones often target the tank's most vulnerable areas, such as the thinner armor on top or the rear engine compartment.
Operational Shifts: Due to high vulnerability, Ukraine was forced to pull Abrams tanks from the front lines in early 2024 to rethink tactics and add field-expedient defenses.
US DOW is expected to ramp up US small military grade drones with ONDS anticipating contracts starting in Jan 2026 ...and are positioning themselves to meet the DOW specs ...getting upgraded from Green certification to Blue certification . DOW is expected to reclassify small drones like hand grenades ...rather than as airplanes ...making for lower level officer purchases .
What we are up against ..at least with the Russians . China probably tops this
Russian Piranha (or Piranya) drones are a family of small, high-maneuverability First-Person-View (FPV) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) developed by the Simbirsk Design Bureau based in Ulyanovsk.
Primarily used in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, these drones gained international attention in early 2024 for reportedly destroying the first U.S.-made M1 Abrams tank used by Ukrainian forces.
The Piranha series includes several specialized models: Piranha-5: Known as a "pocket drone," this small unit (12 cm diameter) is primarily used as a trainer-and-combat drone. It weighs only 300 grams but can fly up to 220 km/h and carry a 1 kg payload for short-range frontline missions.
Piranha-10: The most well-known kamikaze (suicide) model, featuring a 15 km range and a payload capacity of up to 4.5 kg. It is constructed from carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers and operates on unique radio frequencies to remain resistant to electronic warfare (EW) jamming.
Piranha-13: A larger, multi-role heavy-lift variant introduced in 2024–2025. It has a significantly increased payload capacity of 15 kg and a 15 km range. It is specifically designed for remote mine-laying, delivery of supplies, or carrying heavy anti-tank munitions.
Key Operational Features Low Cost: These drones are relatively inexpensive, with the Piranha-13 starting at roughly 150,000 rubles (~$1,600), making them highly cost-effective for destroying expensive armored targets.
Electronic Warfare Resistance: Developers claim the drones use specialized communication frequencies that are difficult for standard Ukrainian jamming systems to disrupt.
Carrier Capability: In 2024, the Russian military began testing "hybrid" systems where larger aircraft-type drones carry and release Piranha FPVs deep behind enemy lines, extending their effective strike range to over 50 km.
AI Integration: Recent 2025 reports indicate some advanced versions are being equipped with NVIDIA Jetson AI modules to enable autonomous target recognition and terminal guidance, reducing the need for continuous operator control.
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