In June 2026, a significant event occurred in the defense industry that could radically alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region. For the first time in history, US special forces tested Ukrainian Magura family maritime unmanned vehicles. The maneuvers took place in the Philippines and demonstrated the high effectiveness of the Ukrainian development under conditions simulating real combat.
Test firings off the coast of the Philippines
The exercises, codenamed Maritime Strike-North, were held as part of the annual joint Balikatan 2026 maneuvers. The location was chosen for a reason: the western coast of the municipality of Itbayat in the Philippines became the range for demonstrating the capabilities of asymmetric weapons. The operation involved "Green Berets" from the 1st Special Forces Group of the US, acting in tandem with Philippine special forces.
Journalists from Bloomberg managed to gain access to the video recording of the tests. The footage shows unmanned vehicles targeting a large decommissioned target ship. The result was instantaneous: a powerful detonation explosion caused the ship to sink in seconds. This incident confirmed that the US military is not just studying the technology but is ready to integrate it into their tactical doctrines.
Technological breakthrough: new warhead
Particular interest is aroused by the technical details that became known thanks to photos released by the Pentagon. The Americans did not limit themselves to a standard modification of the drone, presumably the Magura V7. They equipped the device with a unique cumulative warhead with impact fuzes.
The design of the ammunition represents a complex engineering system: one large central element is surrounded by seven circular cumulative charges. Upon explosion, this configuration forms hypersonic penetrating cores. The main goal of this development is to guarantee the penetration of the armored hull of a ship even when hit at an acute angle, which is critically important for engaging modern warships.
Geopolitical calculation: response to China
Experts and Bloomberg analysts agree that the deployment of Magura drones in Asia is a direct asymmetric response to challenges from the PRC. The Indo-Pacific region is 30 times larger than the continental territory of the US and represents colossal water spaces that cannot be controlled by classical methods.
In the event of a potential conflict over Taiwan, Washington considers swarms of cheap suicide boats as the main means of detaining the huge Chinese navy. The cost of one such drone is several hundred thousand dollars, making their use economically advantageous compared to the use of classic American torpedoes or missiles, the price of which is orders of magnitude higher.
Production in Asia and prospects
Successful tests and proven effectiveness in the Black Sea, where drones destroyed about 10 Russian warships, caused a surge in demand in the Asian region. The head of the manufacturer company Uforce, Oleg Roginsky, confirmed to Bloomberg that active negotiations are underway with countries in the region.
At present, the possibility of building at least two Magura production plants directly in Asia is being considered. At the same time, the company emphasizes a strict policy regarding intellectual property: licenses are not transferred to third countries, and Uforce remains the sole owner of the technology, which guarantees control over quality and supplies.