The Russian Federation is working to transform the Shahed-136 into a loitering munition: it could not do without China
Date: 2024-04-23 Author: Кирило Загоруйко Categories: WAR
Russia is working on converting the Shahed-136 kamikaze drone into a Lancet-type loitering munition. Defense Express writes about this.
It is noted that both of these products are kamikaze drones, but there is a very big difference between them. Thus, Shahed is launched to hit stationary targets and without the possibility of additional reconnaissance and additional targeting. At the same time, the launch of loitering ammunition is aimed primarily at hitting moving targets that the supply can find on its own, or be aimed at them.
“The main difference between them is communication, because the loitering munition needs to transmit video and receive control commands. And given the presentation received from our own sources from the Russian Alabuga, where the Shahed-136 is produced, the enemy is actively cooperating with Chinese companies to solve this problem. In particular, the presentation talks about attempts to install Russian radio communication modules in Shahed-136, for example, products from Russian companies Aerob, Inwave and others. But significant shortcomings of each proposal are noted: in some places there is low power, in others there is low noise immunity. , or an extremely high price,” the material says.
It is known that there were no complaints about Chinese products. Moreover, tests of communication modules have already been carried out directly in China. We are talking about the development of the TX900 by the Chinese company VCan Group Ltd. During the tests, HD video was obtained at a distance of 220 km with a delay of 60 ms.
"This communication module operates at frequencies 1428 - 1448 MHz or 806 - 826 MHz and supports automatic frequency change depending on interference, and also has the ability to transmit an encrypted signal of the AES128 standard, the maximum transmission speed is declared at 30 Mbit/s. At a power of 10 W, the weight of the product is only 242.5 g. In addition, Xingkai XK-F403E, Shenzhen Safe Guard SFGTHF0505UF products were also tested, but the presentation does not talk about their tests and does not highlight their advantages, and the indicated prices for products are higher than TX900 from VCan ", says Defense Express.
However, the fact that we are talking about creating a new loitering munition is indicated by something else. The developers want to install on the Shahed-136 a new warhead weighing 50 kg from the Bakhirev Research Institute of Mechanical Engineering with a combined shrapnel-high-explosive incendiary and armor-piercing effect.
The authors of the material also note that it is not yet known about the active use of Shahed kamikaze drones with such warheads and in loitering munition mode. It is possible that we are talking about the intention to receive money for such development, and this “may be complicated by competition with the Kalashnikov Concern, which owns Zala, which produces the Lancets.”
