The newly released footage confirms the Mi-28NM as a launch platform for the compact missile, which Russia says can also be deployed from other aircraft and ground-based systems.
The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) has released footage showing a Mi-28NM attack helicopter launching a Dan-T low-cost cruise missile. The missile was officially presented during September’s El Alamein Air Show in Egypt.
Dan-T bears a close external resemblance to the S8000 Banderol, a separate Russian cruise missile developed by Kronstadt and first documented by Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence Directorate (HUR) in May 2025. The two weapons are closely related and appear visually similar, although with a few differences.
Confusion between the two weapons had already emerged before the exhibition in Egypt. Photos published on Sept. 6 showed a missile resembling the Banderol mounted beneath a Mi-28NM, while Russian reporting around the El Alamein exhibition identified the displayed weapon as Dan-T.
TASS subsequently quoted a military expert describing Dan-T as visually similar to Banderol but having different specifications. The U.S. Army’s Worldwide Equipment Guide (WEG) on the OE Data Integration Network (ODIN) website similarly lists Dan-T and Banderol as close relatives.
In its accompanying Telegram post on Nov. 6, the Russian MoD identified the munition as Dan-T. The ministry used the same designation in its Nov. 12 coverage.
However, the weapons used in the two videos are visually different, as it can be noted by checking the tail section. In fact, a different number of tail fins can be seen in the two videos, with the Nov. 6 video showing a Dan-T with three tail fins, while the Nov. 12 video shows a Banderol with four tail fins instead, and the top one is shorter.
The Dan-T name is similar to the Dan-M target drone-turned-cruise missile that was shot down by Ukraine over the Black Sea on May 29, 2025. It is unclear if there is a relation between the two.
The MoD RF has released new footage showing the Mi-28NM attack helicopter firing Dan-T quasi-cruise missiles/loitering munitions. https://t.co/9EfVKAS3Ag
— Massimo Frantarelli (@MrFrantarelli) November 12, 2026
Russian MoD videos
According to the Russian MoD and a recent news feature on Russia’s Channel One, the missile receives target information before launch and follows a preplanned route at very low altitude to evade enemy air defenses. During its terminal approach, the missile performs a pop-up maneuver, climbing up before diving down on its target.
In the Nov. 6 video, the Mi-28NM launches a Dan-T from a pylon beneath its left (port) stub wing, while the missile mounted beneath the right (starboard) stub wing remains attached when the helicopter returns. The Nov. 12 footage provides additional views of the weapons being released and shows a Banderol deploying its folding wings after separation.
In its Nov. 6 Telegram post, the Russian Ministry of Defense identified the munition as Dan-T and the Mi-28NM as its launch platform. The post said: “A Mi-28NM helicopter crew delivered a strike with a Dan-T loitering munition against positions of enemy personnel and a UAV control post.”
🚁Mil Mi-28NM attack helicopter.
🚀”Dan-T” loitering munition.
🎥MoD RF(2026) https://t.co/5Q2BbNSEpa
— Massimo Frantarelli (@MrFrantarelli) November 6, 2026
In the Nov. 12 update by Zvezda, the Russian MoD said the Dan-T (although the videos show a Banderol) was again used against “Ukrainian drone crews.” According to the statement, the helicopter crew received the target coordinates before takeoff, while reconnaissance subsequently reported that the designated target had been successfully struck.
“Intelligence reported the successful engagement of the designated target. The helicopter crew reportedly returned safely to their home airfield after completing their mission,” the statement added.
The Russian MoD’s stated target set reflects the threat posed by proliferation of attritable First-Person View (FPV) drones, particularly the personnel and control posts supporting FPV and other unmanned aircraft. However none of the videos actually show the Dan-T striking the intended targets.
This differs from other Russian MoD releases that include footage purportedly showing the impact of UMPK glide bombs, artillery and Iskander tactical ballistic missiles. Such footage is often recorded by separate reconnaissance drones operating over the battlefield. It is therefore not possible to independently assess the effectiveness of the Dan-T strikes from the released material.
Dan-T and Banderol
A clip from a larger news feature on the Dan-T by Russia’s Channel One that emerged on Sept. 20 featured the Dan-T. An unidentified Rostec representative described the weapon’s operation, capabilities and intended targets.
“The Dan-T guided munition is a compact cruise missile designed to be launched from airborne platforms or ground-based launchers. It flies along a pre-planned route at extremely low altitude to evade enemy air defences as effectively as possible.
Dan-T is stealthy and it has its own secrets. When approaching a target, a precise navigation solution is calculated and it performs a pop-up maneuver to deliver the strike with maximum effectiveness. It pops up and dives quite steeply at a high angle to eliminate any aiming errors.
Its size and weight allow several of them to be carried on a single aircraft and it is designed to destroy enemy buildings, structures, surface-to-air missile systems, radars, personnel and light armored vehicles.”
The Dan-T loitering munition is a compact cruise missile that can be launched from ground-based launchers and airborne platforms.
In the terminal phase, the Dan-T performs a pop-up maneuver and dives onto the target.
📺TV report “Channel One”(Sept 2026) https://t.co/GQX4kYThWw
— Massimo Frantarelli (@MrFrantarelli) September 20, 2026
Ukraine’s HUR published a technical breakdown of the S8000 Banderol in May 2025 after examining recovered components. The missile was developed by Kronstadt, with the Orion UAV identified as its primary launch platform.
HUR reported a range of up to 500 km, a cruising speed of 500 km/h and a warhead weighing up to 150 kg. TWZ separately describes the weapon as approximately 5 meters long and cites a lower estimated warhead weight of around 110 lb.
Dan-T has different specifications. TASS reports a maximum range of 450 km, a weight of up to 270 kg and a maximum speed of 500 km/h. TWZ assesses that it has a warhead of approximately 300 lb and is apparently derived from the Dan-M target drone rather than the S8000 Banderol.
Following the UAV “Orion” and the ground launch system, information has been confirmed regarding the Mi-28N as a carrier for the new small-sized cruise missiles “Banderyol”. https://t.co/cI153W7l9x
— Drone Wars (@Drone_Wars_) September 6, 2026
An image from early 2025 also showed the Inokhodets/Orion UCAV, roughly analogous to the Predator-1, carrying the Banderol on its centerline. HUR had noted that the UCAV was the primary launch platform at the time and said that integration onto the Mi-28N attack helicopter was under development.
Photos reportedly showing the remains of a new, small-sized cruise missile that Russia used in southern Ukraine in recent days.
The Ukrainian TG channel “Polkovnik GSh” (Colonel of the General Staff), which posted the photos, described it as similar to, but distinct from, Russia’s new “Banderol” missile.
https://t.co/qzlXUI7hBD
https://t.co/g84rmRpxl1
— John Hardie (@JohnH105) August 10, 2025
The S8000 Banderol and Dan-T are separate but closely related Russian missile developments. Banderol was developed by Kronstadt and initially associated with the Inokhodets/Orion UAV, with Mi-28N integration already under development by May 2025.
Dan-T, meanwhile, appears to be derived from the Dan-M target drone and has different specifications, including a substantially heavier warhead, and is produced by Rostec. TASS lists several potential launch platforms for Dan-T, including the Yak-130, MiG-29, Mi-28N and Mi-8, while also discussing the possibility of ground-based launchers and integration with foreign aircraft.
The unit cost of the S8000 Banderol is widely reported at $100,000 per unit, while the newer Dan-T costs roughly 35% less, placing its estimated price around $65,000.
