Ukraine Cheapens ‘Trembita’ Missile Development To $10 Thousand

Forbes has disclosed the secret of its engine.

Currently, the range of the Ukrainian ‘Trembita’ cruise missile is 140 kilometres, but in the future a modification of this missile will have a range of up to 600 kilometres, which will allow Ukraine to hit targets deep in Russia, writes Forbes.

In order to develop the Trembita quickly and cheaply (up to $10,000), the Pars design bureau, made up of Ukrainian volunteers, chose to use a ‘pulse air-jet engine’, a technology that stands out for its simplicity and cost-effectiveness.

The media outlet writes that the pulse air-jet engine works by creating thrust through a series of rapid combustion pulses. The process begins when air and fuel are drawn into the combustion chamber. Mechanical valves in a valve pulse air-jet engine control the intake of air. The fuel-air mixture is then ignited, causing the gases to expand rapidly. This expansion pushes the hot gases out of the exhaust pipe, creating thrust. The vacuum created by the escaping gas pulls fresh air and fuel into the chamber, restarting the cycle.

In a valve-less design, mechanical valves are replaced by aerodynamic effects to facilitate this self-sustaining process.

Such engines differ from traditional jet engines, in which air is compressed by an axial compressor, mixed with fuel and continuously combusted. The exhaust gases then pass through a turbine that drives the compressor, creating a smooth and controlled thrust. This process results in higher efficiency and smoother thrust output compared to pulse air-jet engines.

However, pulse air-jet engines require fewer components and are mechanically simpler, making them lighter and more economical, the paper said. Although most modern subsonic missiles use jet engines because of their smoother operation, pulse air-jet engines remain attractive because of their simplicity and low cost. Nevertheless, their application is limited.

Advantages of Using a Pulse Air Jet Engine in ‘Trembita’

The decision to use this type of engine in the Trembita is driven by its simplicity, which allows mass production of the missile at minimal cost.

The total cost of the Trembita is $10,000, with more than half of that amount spent on the navigation system. For comparison, the American ATACMS missile costs about $1.5 million. But it is also worth considering that the Trembita's pulse air-jet engine runs on petrol, which is another advantage of this engine.

However, it is worth considering that the efficiency of this engine is low. Combined with the loud sound, the missile becomes easily detectable by modern air defence systems. This can be seen as a disadvantage, but Ukraine, in turn, can use this as a ‘feature’ during massive attacks on Russian targets by launching the Trembita with other missiles.

In this case, the Trembita would be able to effectively ‘mask the signatures of other missiles.’ Even when used independently, the low cost allows Ukraine to launch large numbers of these cruise missiles, overwhelming Russian air defence systems at the expense of numerical advantage.

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