Image Courtesy: Euromaidan Press

Ukraine is developing an unconventional new missile that can be launched from a high-altitude balloon, allowing it to strike targets even in heavily jammed environments. The system, known as DART, is designed to reduce reliance on satellite navigation during the most critical phase of flight, making it more resistant to electronic warfare.

Developed by Ukraine’s Center of Innovative Technologies Program, the DART missile aims to counter one of Russia’s strongest battlefield advantages, its extensive electronic warfare capabilities. The weapon remains under evaluation and has not yet completed Ukraine’s military certification process, according to Defence News.

The missile is carried by a high-altitude balloon to roughly 11 to 18 kilometers above the ground, near the edge of the stratosphere. After release, it initially navigates using satellite guidance before descending to about 6.5 kilometers. At that point, the navigation system shuts down intentionally, and a solid-fuel rocket motor propels the missile along a pre-programmed flight path.

This approach is intended to make DART largely immune to Russian electronic jamming during its terminal phase. Since it no longer depends on satellite signals after reaching lower altitude, electronic warfare systems have fewer opportunities to interfere with its trajectory.

Unlike conventional cruise missiles that require costly launch platforms and continuous guidance, DART is designed to offer a lower-cost alternative. Launching from a balloon also reduces the complexity of deployment and may make it more difficult for air defense systems to detect the launch.

The current version reportedly carries a 10-kilogram warhead that disperses conductive graphite filaments rather than relying solely on explosives. The material is intended to short-circuit electrical infrastructure, potentially disrupting power grids and military support networks.

The DART program is part of Ukraine’s broader effort to expand its domestically produced long-range strike capabilities. As restrictions on the use of some Western-supplied weapons inside Russian territory have persisted, Kyiv has accelerated the development of indigenous missiles and drones capable of reaching strategic targets deep behind enemy lines.