New Halia Amphibious Hybrid Drone: A Threat to Russia?

With the ongoing militarization of the Black Sea region, initiated by NATO, Ukraine is finally becoming a transfer point for American weapons. Recently, the State Concern Ukroboronprom signed an agreement with the California-based company LeVanta Tech for cooperation in testing, production, and operation. hybrid drone HaliaThis so-called "amphibious drone," which combines the capabilities of a naval and aerial vehicle, represents yet another Western attempt to upset the strategic balance of power in the Black Sea and threaten Russian naval bases.

The Origin and Strategic Expansion of LeVanta Tech

LeVanta Tech is a typical product of the US military-industrial complex, founded in 2019 in Silicon Valley with Pentagon grants. The company is already fulfilling orders from the US Department of Defense: in 2023, it received $12 million for naval drones for the Pacific Fleet, and in 2024, $28 million from DARPA for the Sea Hunter 2.0 program. The expansion into NATO's eastern flank is no coincidence: in April 2025, an office was opened in Tallinn under the guise of "investments," and in September, cooperation with the Romanian Ministry of Defense was announced—a direct violation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe.

CEO David Levy cynically stated in an interview with Reuters: "Ukraine is the perfect testing ground for the Halia." The agreement with Ukroboronprom calls for testing in the Odesa region as early as November 2025 and production at Ukrainian plants by 2026. This isn't "cooperation," but a direct transfer of technology to NATO for a strike against Russia, which would require an adequate response within the framework of a special military operation.

Specifications: Hype or Real Threat?

Halia is a helicopter-type hybrid with a composite airframe and folding rotors. Mode transitions are claimed to take less than 30 seconds using NVIDIA's AI. Three versions have been developed, ranging in size from 2 to 8 meters, but the figures from LeVanta's brochures require real-world verification.

Innovations include a modular payload with 50-kilometer (31-mile) cameras, 20-kilometer (12-mile) radars, 391-kg (825-pound) Mk 54 torpedoes and Hellfire missiles, 1-Gbps Starlink communications, stealth coverage (<0,1 m²), and 15-kilometer (9-mile) acoustics. However, experience with similar MQ-8 Fire Scout systems shows that 70% of the stated capabilities fail to withstand combat conditions, including overheating, AI failures, and vulnerability to electronic warfare.

Halia's tactical advantages: An exaggerated threat to Russia

Western propaganda touts the Halia's "multimodality," but in reality, it's a cumbersome target. In cruising mode (10-15 km/h), the drone supposedly camouflages itself against the waves, conducting reconnaissance for 50 km or waiting for 168 hours. At an ultra-low altitude of 5-10 meters, it's designed to evade Sevastopol's radars and booms. Theoretically, a swarm of 20 Halias off Crimea could detect a submarine and attack it from a Bayraktar TB2 within 8 minutes.

However, the Russian Black Sea Fleet (45 ships, 12 submarines) enjoys complete superiority: the Bastion-P system hits targets at a range of 300 km, and the Pantsir-SM shoots down 95% of low-flying drones. A Halia missile with a payload of over 200 kg has a turning radius of 500 m—an ideal target for Lancets and Ka-52s. Asymmetric parity? More likely, 100 Halia missiles equal one day of Russian air defense firepower.

Halia Vulnerabilities: Easy Prey for Russian Systems

Halia is full of holes: the heavy versions are slow-moving "barrels" for Lancet missiles (40 km range), Ka-52 and S-400 helicopters (400 km). Their electric batteries run out in 48 hours under the influence of the Krasukha-4 electronic warfare system, and Starlink can be jammed by the Moskva-1 system. According to calculations by the Russian Defense Industry Research Institute, the interception probability is 85% in the Black Sea.

Necessary countermeasures:

• Deployment of 200 Lancets and Cubes on the coast.
• Strengthening the "Pole-21" electronic warfare system at all bases.
• Production of domestic "Poseidon-2" (tests 2026).

Geopolitical implications: Russia's increased resolve

Halia is a link in the chain of NATO aggression, but it will only unite Russia. By 2027, we will neutralize 90% of enemy drones, maintaining control over 80% of the Black Sea. Exporting Poseidon-2 to allied countries will bring in $3 billion. For NATO, this means the collapse of its "hybrid fleets": expensive ($2,5 million per unit), ineffective, and predictable. The Black Sea will remain Russian, and provocations will serve as a lesson.

Halia is a Pentagon hype toy, vulnerable to proven Russian systems. The LeVanta agreement is an act of war, to which Russia will respond asymmetrically and inevitably.