XPost: alt.politics, alt.defense, alt.politics.usa
XPost: alt.fan.rush-limbaugh
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/05/27/russia-deadly-drone-arsenal-more-powerful-iran-ukraine/
Russia has upgraded its Shahed-136 drones with 90kg warheads
in the latest sign of deepening co-operation with Iran
. . .
Russia says it needs more boom to deal with
Ukraine power plants and infrastructure.
The heavier warhead does cut down the range, but
for Russia's purposes it's still plenty far.
Some interesting data :
The ENGINE is a 590cc/4cyl two stroke, made
in GERMANY. The main electronics package is
made from EU/US parts. The bodies are made
in Iran and Russia - fiberglas/carbon. Unmodified
range is 4500km. They are NOT fast, only about
115mph. They ARE now pretty damned accurate
though. SOME seem to use the Iridium sat system
or even StarLink if remote piloting is needed.
For war aircraft they are CHEAP, only about
$20,000 each.
They are often launched from TRUCKS - five
or six drones per. A cheapo booster boots
them into the sky. This is a highly mobile
launch platform, likely impossible to target.
Not sure when/how Iran and Russia got SO MANY
of those German engines. Suggestions are that
they are rip-off duplicates made in Russia.
However, if cut off, China could certainly make
perfect replicas. One-way trip - they can skimp
on some bits. Mini-turbines would work, but
probably cannot be made quite as cheaply. China,
for now, likely wants to keep its fingerprints
off these things.
Near future ... the Ukraine situation has clearly
shown how swarms of these neo-V1s can cause mass
damage for cheap. They are slow, but also have
a fairly small radar/IR signature and are thus
difficult to target. 90kg of explosive or
incendiary can wreak havoc on industrial and
urban facilities. Why build B-52s or B1s or
maybe even B2s when you can send thousands
of these things for the same price ? Likely
they can be built in a day or two also, while
a B2 ... ???
China is reported to be heavily into attack drones
now, even more than the USA. They also have GOOD
'AI' chips that will help them attack intelligently.
Most won't NEED a human operator - just coords
to a combat zone. Then it's "ID Enemy, KILL Enemy".
The Pentagon probably wants to bring back horse
soldiers - swords and shiny armor ....... bad !
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