Russia's new Shahed drones pose a soaring challenge for Ukraine

The Russian Federation Army is modernizing its Shahed drones, reports the Ukrainian agency Unian, citing the Institute for the Study of War. Although these upgrades allow the aggressor to fly them higher and faster, the defenders are not ignoring these Russian improvements and are enhancing their tactics to counter the threat.

The Institute for the Study of War notes that the Russians are upgrading their Shahed drones. Earlier versions were described as "very slow, difficult to maneuver, and could only fly at low altitudes."

After the modifications, the Russian Federation has addressed the major shortcomings of the Iranian designs. The Shahed-136 drones now have higher cruising speeds and can ascend to greater altitudes. This theoretically means that shooting down the threat will be much more difficult for Ukrainians.

In practice, however, Kyiv has swiftly responded to Moscow. Ukrainian fire groups have adapted to the new threat and developed effective tactics to handle the enhanced Shaheds. Experts in the military industry, however, emphasize that Ukrainian armed forces should be prepared for the possibility that Russians will produce more and more drones and continually strive to make them harder to shoot down.

The tactics Ukrainians are developing to effectively counteract the Shahed threat involve an "innovative detection system" based on microphones deployed throughout the country, according to Unian. The central system analyzes data from the microphones, tracks each drone's path, and determines its probable target.

In Russia, the Shahed-136 drones mentioned are known as Geran-2. The currently produced Shaheds, used by Russian forces, are equipped with a replica of the German Limbach L550E engine, known as the Mado MD550. This engine generates roughly 50 hp, enabling the drone to reach speeds of about 115 mph. According to some sources, a Shahed can cover up to 1,240 miles.

The Geran-2 is about 11.5 feet long and has a wingspan of 8.2 feet. The entire structure weighs 440 pounds, with the warhead accounting for approximately 88 pounds. In some Shahed versions, the Russians install Kometa receivers to reduce the effects of disruptions caused by Ukrainian electronic warfare systems.