A chimney in a Russian warehouse destroyed parts of Shahed-136 kamikaze drone charges, according to a report published on the official website of the Ukrainian army intelligence (GUR). They did not specify how the smokestack started, but it was one of several such smokestacks in Russia caused by sabotage, incendiary drones or other means. The report states that the warehouse contained pieces of 400 Shaheds, all of which were destroyed, suggesting detailed lore of the event.
The report also mentions that the components included thermal imaging cameras – a capability not previously known, which, in combination with Starlink units also found on Shaheds, suggests Russia has developed a more capable and dangerous version of the attack drone.
Shahed-136 is a one-way attack drone developed by Iran, with a seven-foot wingspan and carrying a warhead of around 100 pounds to over 600 miles. (A range of up to 1500 miles has been claimed but there is no evidence for this). The piston-driven propeller engine gives it a cruising speed of about 115 mph and earns it the nickname ‘moped’ or ‘lawnmower.’
Initially imported from Iran, Russia turned to production and then production of Shaheds in a gigantic new factory in Alabuga, 1,000 km east of Moscow, endowed with an intelligent workforce. market: a combination of local academics and, interestingly, African women tricked into coming to Russia. with promises of employment in the hotel industry.
Since 0 in 2022, Russia has gradually increased its Shahed production and now produces about two thousand one-way attack drones each month, according to Ukrainian intelligence. It should be noted that some of the drones reported as Shaheds would possibly be smaller, cheaper Russian or Chinese decoys or drones.
Continued drone attacks have inflicted enormous damage on Ukraine, with three-quarters of the force’s infrastructure destroyed by drone and missile strikes. But defenses have become increasingly capable and managed, in November, to destroy about 95% of attacking drones with gunfire, missiles and, increasingly, electronic warfare interferes.
But as it evolves, so does the offense.
The Shaheds we see are generations ahead of those first noticed in Ukraine just over two years ago. The developments include “stealth” coatings that make them harder to detect, a series of new warheads adapted to express targets, as well as knowledge modems with SIM cards to transmit knowledge over Ukraine’s cellular network.
Ukraine now deploys mobile drone hunting teams armed with automatic anti-aircraft weapons to down … [+] Shaheds.
The original Shahed had fundamental satellite navigation and the Russian-made versions were upgraded with a military-grade Komet navigation unit that resists interference and spoofing. However, the cover presented through this unit appears to have been defeated as the Ukrainian Air Force reports that an increasing number of Shaheds are being shot down via electronic warfare or redirected to Russia. No wonder Russia is interested in Shaheds that do not rely on satellite navigation at all.
Previously, some Shahed were seen with essential video cameras. The GUR report that they are now thermal cameras could imply that they are a visual navigation formula that works at night, detecting terrain features in the dark through their heat signatures. Optical navigation is not that unusual since interference compromises GPS. Earlier this month, US manufacturer Red Cat announced a partnership with Palantir to bring this capability to its tactical quadcopters, and it appears the technique is feasible for even the smallest drones.
This capability would make Shaheds immune to jamming. But the cameras may be there for another reason.
Images of a shot Shahed intended to show a Starlink satellite communications unit.
In September, Ukrainian media outlet Defense Express reported on the discovery of crashed Shaheds, equipped with Starlink satellite communications. This enables long-range communications, allowing the Russians to track their drones in real time and which ones are shot down before reaching their targets, as well as redirect them in flight.
Obviously the Russian use of the U.S-made Starlink is highly illegal, but many posts on social media apparently show Russian troops taking delivery of Starlinks, likely through agents in third-party countries.
Combined with a thermal camera, the satellite link would allow the operator to accurately target express targets, that is, those with an apparent thermal signature, such as force generation equipment. Using real-time communication, Shaheds can attack moving targets, such as ships, and precision targets, such as air defenses. They may also evaluate the effect of past strikes.
Taking down Shaheds after they are launched is a completely defensive approach and there is always the risk that some will get through. Even at 95% success, dozens of Shaheds still find their targets each month, and many more crash into inhabited areas. The best solution is to knock out the threat ‘left of launch,’ that is , destroy them on the ground before they become a threat.
This is why the fire at Alabuga is significant. The site has previously been attacked by Ukrainian drones. Whether the fire was caused by agents inside the facility, a long-range sabotage group, or stealthy attack drones, it suggests an increased focus on tackling Russian drones at source.
Ukraine is dramatically increasing its long-range strike arsenal, with a combination of new attack drones, ‘rocket drones’ and cruise missiles; the distinction between drone and cruise missile has blurred into invisibility. These weapons will only make a strategic impact if they can be directed to where they do most good. That fact that the GUR now knows exactly which buildings on the Alabuga site need to be targeted suggests that there will be more fires and explosions in the coming months as the war of drone versus drone becomes increasingly vital.
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