Russians turn to farming tech for enhanced kamikaze drones
The Russians are striving to produce and enhance as many Shahed-136 drones as possible. They face a shortage of components and, as a workaround, have started using antennas originally intended for agricultural equipment, resulting in an unexpected twist. Let's delve into the background of these new Shahed-136 drones.
During the attacks on January 1, 2025, the Russians deployed Shahed-136 drones equipped with Chinese CRPA (Controlled Reception Pattern Antennas) modules designed for the agricultural sector, instead of the previously used Iranian or Russian "Kometa-M" modules.
According to a report by Serhij "Flash" Bessetsintow, the use of modules from AliExpress may be due to insufficient production capabilities in Russia and Iran, combined with a desire to explore alternatives under pressure to reduce costs.
The agricultural modules from China feature eight antennas arranged in a circle, rather than the previous linear configuration, which has proved advantageous in countering Ukrainian jammers. This circular arrangement makes Shaheds using agricultural modules less susceptible to Ukrainian electronic warfare systems.
Shahed-136 drones - Russia's inexpensive weapon of terror
The Shahed-136 is a simple "kamikaze" drone employed by the Russians. Its design includes a delta-shaped wing with an 8-foot wingspan, along with two vertical stabilizers. The drone measures 11.5 feet in length and incorporates general-purpose components, sometimes including parts manufactured in Poland.
Weighing about 440 pounds, the Shahed-136 carries a warhead weighing 110 pounds. The rest of the weight includes, among other things, a fuel tank supplying a Chinese boxer-type internal combustion engine with a power of 50 horsepower, which is a replica of the German LIMBACH L550 E model. It's estimated that the fuel capacity of the Shahed-136 allows it to cover distances up to 1,550 miles.
The drone's navigation system is basic, designed only for flights along pre-planned routes, limiting its use to attacking stationary targets, such as residential areas, due to its low accuracy. In practice, it's often used for psychological operations aimed at intimidating city residents or as support for other attack methods, like cruise missiles.
The Russians are launching hundreds of Shahed drones, which, when properly synchronized with, for example, Ch-101 cruise missiles, can pose a challenge to air defense systems. In the clutter of numerous targets, some Ch-101 missiles might more easily break through if flanked by a swarm of decoys.
Additionally, the Russians employ modified Shaheds to map the activity of Ukrainian air defense systems. The data collected helps identify gaps in Ukrainian defenses, which is particularly useful for planning the routes of future strikes.
