The Russians claim that the new Yastreb drone is resistant to electronic warfare systems and can engage a target with the help of a "machine vision" system. This drone will be even cheaper than the Iranian Shahed, which the occupiers called "Geran".
The Yastreb drone is being developed in Russia as a cheap variant of the Geran
The Russian design bureau Stratim is working on creating a new kamikaze drone called Yastreb, which the enemy calls a "budget analogue of Geran", an Iranian attack drone of the Shahed type.
Defense Express reported this.
Now, this drone is allegedly at the stage of flight tests, and during the first half of 2024, they plan to complete work on this weapon.
It is a flying wing with coordinate guidance, which is being developed in two versions: with an internal combustion engine, with which the drone will create a speed of up to 300 km/h, and a jet engine, with which its speed will increase to 700 km/h.
The target hitting range will be 350 km; the take-off weight of the drone is up to 45 kg, and the combat unit is 16 kg. The wingspan is 1.5 m.
The enemy claims that this drone is resistant to electronic warfare systems and can enter the target using the "machine vision" system.
The Russians say their new drone is "capable of hitting targets in the depth of the enemy's defences", which will be its primary task.
Earlier, the head of the press centre of the Southern Defense Forces of Ukraine, Natalia Gumenyuk, noted that the occupiers began to use their Shahed drones along the front line atypically, probably compensating for the lack of artillery or trying to replace tactical aviation.
For the new "Yastreb", the Russians also see the role of a "pseudo-crude missile" — a false target to divert the attention of air defense means, emphasizing that, they say, the drone will be cheap, because it is "completely assembled from civilian components". How true is such a statement it is difficult to tell the reality at the moment, the publication notes
Iranian-Russian Shaheds attack Ukraine
Today, the Russian Federation uses primarily Iranian kamikaze drones of the Shahed-131/136 type for terrorist attacks on Ukraine, which the occupiers both buy directly from Iran and try to establish their production.
Earlier, the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine said that the enemy already has at least two lines from producing this weaponry, but only the glider is being made.
The adversary plans to start a complete closed production cycle of its "Geranai" by 2026 — with the caveat that, after all, some of the components, such as the electronic base, will probably be purchased.
According to intelligence estimates, the Russian Federation can collect up to 330-350 Shahed-136 kamikaze drones monthly, but this figure depends on access to components.
