Russo-Ukrainian War: The Sukhoi Su-24MR Fencer-E

Source: ArmyInform

     Photographed in late May 2024, the Sukhoi Su-24MR (NATO reporting name Fencer-E) “Yellow 11” rests in its revetment. The aircraft belongs to the 7th. Tactical Aviation Brigade “Petro Franko”. The Su-24MR is the dedicated reconnaissance variant of the Su-24M tactical bomber and first entered service in 1983 with production ending in 1993 after 130 examples were built.

     Externally, the Su-24MR looks much like the Su-24M upon which it is based. But, there are some visible differences which tell them apart. The first can be seen underneath the fuselage, along the centerline, a bit forward of the side intakes. In place of the Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-6-23M rotary 23mm cannon, a fairing contains a AP-402M panoramic 90.5 focal length camera and behind it, a “Aist-M” (“Stork-M”) TV camera/reconnaissance system. Of interest, the cassette cartridge that stores the photographs taken by the AP-402M can be jettisoned, the cartridge falling to earth via parachute.

     Another external means to tell the Su-24MR apart from the Su-24M assumes it is fitted with a SRS-14 “Tangazh” (“Pitch”) ELINT (Electronic Intelligence) pod, as fitted here underneath the fuselage. The SRS-14 is designed to detect emitting radars then determine their origin point, the type of radar(s), and the mode the radars are operating in. Another specialized pod which is used is the Shpil'-2M (“Spire”) laser imager with a 25cm resolution. Altitude affects the image quality so that when flying at low altitudes, the quality improves to almost photographic levels. The “Spire” can be used day or night and the image data can be transmitted to ground stations in real time.

     On the outer pylon of the right wing looks to be a M-341 Efir-1M (“Ether-1M”) radiation detector. It measures radioactivity levels and records the data onto magnetic tape or, if desired, the pod can transmit the data to ground stations. The drop tanks are PTB-3000 models which hold 793 gallons of fuel each.

     The nose-mounted Orion-A radar suite used by the Su-24M is replaced with a RDS-BO “Shtyk” (“Bayonet”) SLAR (Side-Looking Airborne Radar). The minimum range of the radar is .2 of a mile to a maximum range of 17 miles. The RDS-BO (sometimes designated the M-101) is a pulse-only radar, is able to classify ground targets, and is equipped with a moving target indicator. This data is compiled via the BCR-1 intelligence complex (which also assesses information taken in from other sensors).

     Because the Su-24MR is unarmed, it is fitted with extensive defensive systems, collectively called the BKO-2M Karpaty complex. It consists of the SPO-15M Bereza (“Birch”) which alerts the crew to being “painted” by radar and also homing radar as used by missiles. Against infrared homing missiles, the L-082 Mak-UL (“Poppy”) detector is fitted for alerting to missiles that utilize infrared seeker heads. Another piece of the complex is the SPS-161/162 Geran-F (“Geranium-F”) radar jammer along with the APP-50A flare dispenser. The entire complex was controlled by a Neon-F digital computer system.

     Other reconnaissance equipment include the A-100 oblique mounted camera which has a 1,000 focal length. The aperture for the camera is mounted underneath the left air intake. Finally, there is a “Zima” (“Winter”) infrared sensor system mounted beneath the right air intake and it can just be seen near the rake fitted to the edge of the intake.

     “Yellow 11” first saw combat during the Donbas War when, on July 2, 2014, a separatist fired MANPADS (Man Portable Air Defense System) struck the aircraft while it was operating over Slavyansk, Donetsk Oblast. The strike caused a fire which forced the crew to shut down one of the engines. The stricken Su-24MR was able to return to base but upon landing, a new fire started which caused significant damage before it was extinguished by ground crew. It would take many months to repair the aircraft but in April 2015, “Yellow 11” was back in service.

For more information on the Su-24M, visit:

https://photosofmilitaryhistory.blogspot.com/2025/06/russo-ukrainian-war-sukhoi-su-24m.html

Russo-Ukrainian War: The Sukhoi Su-24M Fencer-D w/ Vympel Kh-29L

Source: Reddit

     A Sukhoi Su-24M (NATO reporting name Fencer-D) belonging to the 7th. Tactical Aviation Brigade “Petro Franko” sorties for a mission. This particular photograph started appearing in social media in early November 2024 though given the color of the foliage, it was taken much earlier (possibly in August 2024).

     Based on the minimal armament and lack of external fuel tanks, the mission may be a training one or a combat mission within the standard range of the Su-24M. Speaking of armament, the visible weapon is a Vympel Kh-29L (NATO reporting name AS-14 Kedge-A) air-to-surface missile. By no means is the Kh-29 missile new, having first appeared in service in 1980 with development having begun in 1975. Primarily, the Kh-29 family of missiles is used against targets such as buildings, bridges, airfields, hardened shelters, and even against large naval vessels.

     The Kh-29L is powered by a solid fuel rocket motor that pushes the missile through the air at a maximum speed of 1,400 miles per hour. The operational range is 6 miles. The missile is brought onto target by semi-active laser homing. This is accomplished using the integral Kaira-24 laser designator fitted into the Su-24M. The laser has a maximum range of 11.5 miles and so while the Kh-29L could travel further, its range is limited to that of the designator. The Kaira-24 is more of a targeting system that consists of the laser designator (called Spire) which is tied into the ILS-31 HUD (Heads-Up Display) used by the WSO (Weapon Systems Officer). The Kh-29L arms within 1.2 miles and has a flight envelope as high as 3 miles in altitude down to as low as 200 meters off the ground.

     Curiously, the Kh-29L is missing the vanes on the seeker head and the four rotating ailerons on the forward portion of the missile.

     Of interest is the yellow underside of the Su-24M. At the start of the Russo-Ukrainian War, both sides used Soviet-era aircraft, to include the Su-24M and Su-24MR (of which Russia still has some 300 in service). As such, in April 2022, the 7th. Tactical Aviation Brigade painted the undersides of their Su-24 aircraft yellow to enable Ukrainian ground forces to easily identify them and avoid any further friendly fire incidents. The dragon is a rendition of the brigade's crest that consists of a heraldic black dragon. Finally, the insignia beneath the cockpit is actually the “winged archer” logo used by the Sukhoi Design Bureau (which is part of the Sukhoi Aviation Military Industrial Combine or Sukhoi AMIC) which designed and built the Su-24.

For more information on the Su-24M, visit:

https://photosofmilitaryhistory.blogspot.com/2025/06/russo-ukrainian-war-sukhoi-su-24m.html

Russo-Ukrainian War: The Sukhoi Su-24M Fencer-D

Source: ukraine_defense on Instagram

     The only tactical bomber the Ukrainian Air Force currently fields in the Russo-Ukrainian War is shown here: the Sukhoi Su-24M. Often called by its NATO reporting name, Fencer-D, the Su-24 entered service with the Soviet Union in 1974 and although production of the Su-24 ceased in 1993, it remains in front-line service with six nations of which Ukraine and Russia are included in that number. This particular Su-24M belongs to the 7th. Tactical Aviation Brigade “Petro Franko” which is the only unit within the Ukrainian Air Force that operates the Su-24. The brigade has suffered heavy losses, most occurring in the opening months of the Russo-Ukrainian War which started in February 24, 2022 with the Russian invasion. In 2022, the unit lost a total of 24 aircraft with sixteen crew killed in action and three missing in action. To date, the last confirmed loss of a Su-24 occurred on March 1, 2023 with the loss of both crew members. A report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies in February 2024 gave the inventory of surviving aircraft at thirteen with five being the Su-24M and the remainder being the reconnaissance variant, the Su-24MR (Fencer-E).

     The Su-24M started to appear in Soviet units in 1983. Power comes from two Lyulka AL-21F-3A turbojets with each engine capable of 17,000 pounds of thrust. With the afterburner engaged, this increases to 24,700 pounds of thrust each. Clean and without afterburners, the Su-24M can achieve a maximum speed of 1,028 miles per hour near the plane's service ceiling of 36,000 feet. At sea level, the top speed is 817 miles per hour. At full thrust, the Su-24M has a climb of 30,000 feet per minute. For range, the average is 382 miles with a 6,614 pound load of ordnance and external fuel tanks. The Su-24M has 24,471 pounds of onboard fuel and without ordnance but with external fuel tanks, the ferry range is 1,724 miles. The Su-24M has a two man crew, the pilot and the WSO (“Whizzo” or Weapon Systems Officer), and they sit side-by-side in the cockpit. Each is provided with a Zvezda K-36D ejection seat.

     The Su-24 has variable swept wings which have four sweep settings. For take-off and landing, the wings are swept at 16 degrees while for cruising, the sweep is either 35 degrees or 45 degrees altitude depending. The final sweep setting is 69 degrees to reduce the aspect ratio and provide for maximum speed. The variable wings also allow for a low landing speed for such a large aircraft at 140 miles per hour. The original model, the Su-24 (Fencer-A), was capable of 1,440 miles per hour at 57,400 feet but since the usual mission profile was low altitude, the complex (and heavy) variable intake ramps were removed in later models such as the Su-24M to lower weight and simplify maintenance. It did, however, drop the maximum speed to what is outlined above.

     The only on-board armament is a single Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-6-23M rotary 23mm cannon which is provided with 500 rounds of ammunition. There are eight hardpoints with four on the underside of the fuselage and two per wing. The outer wing hardpoints can swivel to remain in place as the wings change sweep angles. A total of 17,635 pounds of stores can be carried by the Su-24M, to include the full array of Soviet-era missiles, rockets, and bombs. This was one of the factors that caused the high rate of attrition of the Su-24M in 2022 as the aircraft had no munitions that could be fired at Russian targets outside of Russian anti-air defense ranges. When the Ukrainian Air Force began to receive Western aerial weapons capable of stand-off ranges (meaning, the weapon can be deployed against Russian targets without the aircraft being within anti-aircraft gun or missile ranges), the Su-24M became the primary delivery system. By consequence, there have been no confirmed Su-24M losses since March 2023.

     The Su-24M shown here is equipped with two Storm Shadow cruise missiles which have been provided to Ukraine by Great Britain. France has also provided Ukraine with the Storm Shadow though in French use, it is called the SCALP-EG (Système de Croisière Autonome à Longue Portée – Emploi Général meaning Long Range Autonomous Cruise Missile System – General Purpose). The Storm Shadow was designed by Matra BAe Dynamics and is built by MBDA with the first missiles becoming operational in 2003. At a cost of 2.5 million U.S. dollars each, the Storm Shadow is powered by a Microturbo TRI 60-30 turbojet which generates 1,200 pounds of thrust. This gives the missile a 729 miles per hour. Maximum range is 342 miles. Guidance is a combination of GPS, an inertial navigation system, infrared thermography, and TERPROM (Terrain Profile Matching). Steering is accomplished by four vertical and two horizontal tailplanes. Target data is programmed into the Storm Shadow prior to mission launch and once the missile is released, the mission profile cannot be changed nor terminated. The 990 pound warhead uses a multi-stage BROACH penetrator (Bomb Royal Ordnance Augmented Charge). It consists of a shaped charge which strikes first, punching through exterior concrete, earth, or armor, which then permits the follow-on charge to detonate inside the target. The usage of TERPROM provides the Storm Shadow with resistance to Russian GPS signal jamming. Ukrainian Su-24M launch the Storm Shadow from the inboard wing hardpoints using a pylon adapter taken from former Royal Air Force Panavia Tornado GR4 multi-role aircraft. Underneath the fuselage is a PTB-3000 external fuel tank that holds 793 gallons of fuel. The downward pointing fins on the front of the tank ensure the tank falls away from the aircraft if it has to be detached in flight. Other stand-off munitions currently known to be used by Ukrainian Su-24M aircraft are domestically made gliding bombs, the venerable Kh-25ML tactical air-to-surface missile (NATO reporting name AS-10 Karen), U.S. supplied JDAM-ER (Joint Direct Attack Munition-Extended Range) guided bombs, and French supplied AASM HAMMER guided bombs.

     Other equipment on the Su-24M include the Puma navigation/attack suite (consisting of two Orion-A radars which permit day/night capability), Relyef terrain clearance radar (allows for automatic piloting at low altitudes), Orbita-10-58 computer, Shchel helmet-mounted sights for the crew, multi-function displays, digital moving-map generator, Sirena radar-warning receiver, active ECM (Electronic Countermeasure) suites (which can be seen as the triangular protrusions at the top of the vertical stabilizer and on the intake sides), capability to carry chaff and flare dispensers, inflight refueling capability, PNS-24M inertial navigation system, Tekon track/search system for guided munition use, and a Kaira-24 laser designator with TV-optical display.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The Lada VAZ-2114 Samara

Source: Reddit

     The sad state of affairs for some Russian Federation units in regards to troop transport is displayed in excellent form here. As of June 10, 2025, the Russians have lost an estimated 51,579 vehicles (trucks, fuel tankers, logistical vehicles, etc.) and 22,783 armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles (tracked and wheeled). These are losses that Russian production cannot keep up with and so Russian units that lack vehicles commandeer whatever they can in order to ride rather than walk. The vehicle in question here is a civilian Lada VAZ-2114 Samara 5-door hatchback. Built by the Russian company AvtoVAZ and sold under the Lada brand, the VAZ-2114 is a variant of the original Lada VAZ-2108 compact car which first appeared in 1984. The Samara name was not used until 1991. Before that, the car was called the Lada Sputnik. Production ended in 2013.

     Appearing in 1987, the 1-ton VAZ-2114 was initially offered with three engine types (1.1, 1.3, and 1.5 liter) but in 2001, the 1.5-liter engine was the only motor used until 2007 when an optional 1.6-liter 8V (8 valve per cylinder) engine was offered. The basic 1.5-liter inline engine is a fuel-injected, 4-cylinder petrol motor that develops 79 horsepower. It has two valves per cylinder and has a OHC (Overhead Camshaft) valve train. This means the camshaft sits in the cylinder head, above the combustion chamber. The VAZ-2114 is a front-wheel drive car with a 5-speed manual transmission. Total fuel capacity is a tad over 11 gallons and in the city, the VAZ-2114 averages around 26 miles per gallon. Maximum road speed is 102 miles per hour. It takes the car 13 seconds to get up to 62 miles per hour.

     Other aspects of the VAZ-2114 include spring strut front suspension, trailing arm rear suspension, disc front brakes, drum rear brakes, rack and pinion steering, 15 cubic feet of truck space, multi-port manifold fuel injection, and seating for five.

     Returning to the photograph, the crew of the VAZ-2114 have added a PVC pipe frame around the upper portion of the car and draped in what appears to be nylon netting. There are black cables running through the netting and along some of the piping which may run to EW (Electronic Warfare) equipment. The back portion of the roof has been cut away along with the rear hatch to make an open compartment. A hand rail can be seen behind the front seats. In the front of the VAZ-2114 is a piece of rubberized canvas to protect the lower front of the car. What is on the end of the two prongs isn't known. The VAZ-2114 uses 165/70 R13 tires and the front tires have been replaced with off-road tires to improve traction (since it is a front-wheel drive car).

Russo-Ukrainian War: The 60mm Mortar PG

Source: Military Informant (milinfolive) on Telegram

     It is not a secret that the regime of North Korea has been supplying the Russian Federation with arms (as well as troops) to make up for the huge losses of equipment in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War...equipment which the Russian military complex is unable to replace as fast as it is lost. One of the arms being provided is displayed here: the 60mm mortar PG (ᄑᄀ in the image). As a whole, 60mm mortars have fallen out of favor with most militaries due to their short range but they do have the benefit of being lightweight and able to provide close range, indirect fire.

     The North Korean PG is, more or less, a copy of the Chinese Type 31 60mm mortar. The Type 31 is the Chinese copy of the U.S. Army's M2 60mm mortar which appeared in 1940, being the American produced version of the French Brandt Mle 1935 60mm mortar. So, one could say the PG is a copy of a copy (Type 31) of a copy (M2) of a copy (Mle 1935). Nevertheless, the soundness of the Mle 1935 is evidenced by three countries electing to adopt the mortar.

     There is not a lot of specific information on the PG. Given it is a North Korean built version of the Type 31, it is reasonable to utilize the specifications for the Type 31 as the PG is likely similar in statistics and performance. The Type 31 has a total weight (to include the base plate, bipod, and sight) of 44 pounds and normally requires a crew of two.

     Ranging is done using a fairly basic non-telescopic, collimator sight which provides for elevation and deflection adjustments via cross and longitudinal levels. The white line down the center of the mortar tube can also be used for aiming. Maximum range is probably around 1 mile using a basic HE (High-Explosive) bomb. The minimum range is approximately 200 meters. Loading is accomplished by dropping the bomb down the muzzle and when it hits the bottom of the barrel, a pin striker ignites the bomb's propellant charge which then sends the bomb down range towards the target. A skilled crew is reported to be able to run between 15 to 20 rounds per minute through the Type 31.

     In the inset photograph, beneath the obliterated serial number, the wording is instructions that say to set the mortar on flat (or level) ground and align the mortar tube at 45 degrees. It could be that this is the optimal angle to achieve the most range but the PG is likely able to be elevated much higher (up to 85 degrees) and as low as 40 degrees. This is done by adjusting the legs of the bipod.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The Swarmly Poseidon H10 Mk.III Reece Drone

Source: The National Review

     A Ukrainian police officer of the Rifle Battalion of the National Police Zaporizhzhia prepares a Poseidon H10 Mk.III reconnaissance drone for a mission on May 23, 2025. FPV drones get much of the limelight when it comes to videos circulated on social media. However, those videos that show a overhead view of a FPV drone hitting a target come from a reconnaissance drone loitering over the target area. Reconnaissance drones from both sides are a constant presence in the airspace over Ukraine. It is very difficult to move by daylight and not get spotted by a reece drone. Even darkness is no guaranty due to drones using thermal or infrared optics. Once a reconnaissance drone spots a target, it is evaluated and if found to be the enemy, then the coordinates are relayed to artillery, rocket, or FPV drone assets to take the target under fire and eliminate it.

     The Poseidon is designed and built by the Cyprus based company Swarmly, Ltd. and in May 2022, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense issued a contract to Swarmly for the purchase of a undisclosed number of Poseidon H10 Mk.III drones for evaluation. In time, the Poseidon was ultimately accepted for service in the Ukrainian military. Pilot training for the Poseidon is conducted at the 190th. Training Center. Of interest is this particular drone's camouflage which consists of black spray painted Ukrainian tryzuby (tridents) using a stencil while the upper surface looks to be a green hue to make it blend into the ground if viewed from overhead.

     The Poseidon is a twin-boom design with a high-mounted wing and a twin-fin vertical stabilizer arrangement with a connecting horizontal stabilizer. The total length of the drone is 6.2 feet while the wingspan is 11.5 feet. The Poseidon is a VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) with each boom containing two, 2-bladed propellers that provide vertical flight as well as the ability to hover and maneuver. Mounted in the rear of the central fuselage is a pusher, 2-bladed propeller which provides forward flight (called a cruise propeller in company literature). All five propellers are driven by electrically powered motors which makes the Poseidon quiet in flight and presents a minimal thermal signature. The top speed is 93 miles per hour.

     A valuable capability of the Poseidon is its maximum operating altitude of 3 miles. This puts it out of range of infantry small arms such as the AK-74 and machine-guns such as the 12.7mm NSV and Kord weapons. Even the 14.5mm KPV heavy machine-gun cannot reach the Poseidon if it is flying over 2.5 miles in altitude. The Poseidon at altitude is even outside the effective range of the commonly used ZU-23's 23mm autocannons. The maximum operational range of the Poseidon is 93 miles with a maximum endurance of 2.5 hours.

     Onboard equipment includes a gimbal-mounted daytime camera that provides a 20x synthetic zoom capability. This is not optical zooming and instead, the image or video has its resolution increased via software processes then the resulting image or video is cropped to the original frame size, thus artificially giving the appearance of being zoomed in. A benefit of this is the quality enhancement of the video or images. For low-light or night operation, the Poseidon has a thermal imaging camera with 4x optical zoom.

     The electronics within the Poseidon are hardened to make them resistant to Russian electronic countermeasures such as frequency jamming. Also, onboard flight software allows the Poseidon to automatically avoid threats without operator intervention and if command/control signal is lost, the Poseidon will automatically return to its launch point.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The Dart Loitering Munition

Source: zelenskyy_official on Instagram

     A member of one of the two FPV groups within the 3rd. Special Forces Regiment prepares to launch a Dart loitering munition. The Dart is a Ukrainian design which first appeared in large numbers beginning in 2024. It is relatively inexpensive to build, having a production cost of around $1,000USD per unit. The Dart is being deployed by other units, to include the 92nd. Assault Brigade “Ivan Sirko”, the 93rd. Mechanized Brigade “Kholodnyi Yar”, and the 109th. Mountain Assault Battalion (element of the 10th. Mountain Assault Brigade “Edelweiss”) among others. A portion of the acquisition costs for the Dart is coming from private sources, received to the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation who then purchases the drones for distribution to units.

     Specifics on the Dart are a bit difficult to come by, let alone the name of the Ukrainian company that developed and currently produces the Dart. Power comes from a nose-mounted electric motor that drives a two-bladed propeller. The top speed is reported to be 99 miles per hour. The Dart has a length of 4.9 feet with a wingspan of 6.2 feet. The inexpensive camera for the visuals is fitted into the left wing.

     For range, the Dart is said to be able to achieve a maximum of 31 miles with its onboard battery charge. However, to attain this maximum, the Dart must be within the influence of a signal repeater (also called a relay). This repeater, which can be ground-based or fitted within a drone, is used to boost the strength of the command/control signals coming from the operator's controller and relaying them to the drone. Likewise, the repeater does the same thing with signals coming from the drone back to the controller. The effect is increasing the range of the signal, thereby increasing the range of the drone assuming it has the endurance capability to make use of the added range. The Dart is equipped with ECM (Electronic Counter Measures) to make its electronics resistant to jamming.

     For payload, the Dart can carry an explosive charge with a weight between 6 to 8 pounds. This charge is carried externally, beneath the fuselage, and secured using zip-ties. To get airborne, the Dart can be hand-launched or it can be flung into the air using a lightweight catapult.

     For defenses, the Dart is equipped with ECM (Electronic Counter Measures) to make its electronics resistant to jamming. The Dart is also capable of being struck by small arms fire and assuming nothing critical is hit, the Dart can be punctured and maintain airworthiness.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The AeroVironment Inc. Switchblade 600 Loitering Munition

Source: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine

     A soldier of the 14th. UAV Regiment carrying a AeroVironment Inc. Switchblade 600 loitering munition within its launch container. As part of the United States' military aid to Ukraine early in the Russo-Ukrainian War, one hundred AeroVironment Switchblade 300 were sent starting in April 2022 and starting in April 2023, ten Switchblade 600 drones were confirmed as delivered. Another three hundred Switchblades have been delivered to date though what models they are remains unknown. As this photograph was taken sometime in 2025, it is clear some Switchblade 600 munitions remain in service. In late 2020, AeroVironment unveiled to the public the Switchblade 600 and it is the larger brother of the Switchblade 300. The Switchblade series is utilized both as an anti-personnel munition as well as anti-armor. 

     The Switchblade 600 munition itself is 4.3 feet long and has a weight of 33 pounds. Power comes from an electric motor that drives a rear-mounted, 2-bladed propeller. Enough charge is carried to provide the Switchblade 600 with a maximum endurance of 40 minutes which translates to a maximum range of 50 miles. Operational altitude is usually around 500 feet in altitude. Due to the electric motor, the Switchblade 600 is very quiet. The typical mission profile is to travel to a target area some 25 miles from the operator which consumes half of the battery power. This allows the Switchblade 600 to loiter over the area for another twenty minutes. Should a target make itself known, the operator directs the Switchblade 600 to it, the drone having dash speed of 115 miles per hour during the final attack run. The Switchblade 600 uses a warhead derived from the FGM-148F Javelin in that it is a multi-purpose so as to permit engagement of hard or soft targets. The warhead is HEAT (High-Explosive Anti-Tank) designed for anti-armor but it is sheathed in a steel case which produces fragmentation that is lethal to soft targets such as exposed personnel.

     The launch tube, when man-packed, can be set up on the ground or it can be mounted on ground vehicles and even on aircraft (such as helicopters). The Switchblade 600 is controlled using a touch-screen tablet-style fire control system (FCS) and a long-range antenna. Video is fed to the FCS via a gimble-mounted Electro-Optical/Infra-Red (EO/IR) sensor suite in the nose of the drone. The operator can use “tap-to-target” guidance while manually operating the drone or the Switchblade 600 can be set to operate autonomously. The Switchblade 600 utilizes a “wave-off” capability which can be triggered by the operator if he or she observes friendly forces or non-combatants in the target area. This terminates the initial mission profile and allows the operator to either resume the original mission parameters or the operator can decide to engage other targets.

     In order to reduce or eliminate electronic interference, the Switchblade 600 uses a AES-256 (Advanced Encryption Standard w/ 256-bit key) symmetric encryption algorithm to secure communication channels and maintain signal integrity. Also, the Switchblade 600 is equipped with a GPS (Global Positioning System) that makes use of a SAASM (Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module). The SAASM decrypts encrypted positioning data sent to the drone's GPS, protecting the information from injections of false data by enemy actors.

     The Switchblade 600 has the ability to use a digital data link (DDL) that can extend the engagement range out to 56 miles. Typically, to use the DDL effectively, a second long-range antenna would need to be integrated into the system. This involves the second antenna being with another operator who is further forward in the field. As the Switchblade 600 approaches the second operator, control of the drone is handed off via the DDL from the original operator to the second operator who then assumes the conduct of the mission.

     All told, the entire Switchblade 600 system (munition, launch tube, tablet, and one antenna) has a field weight of 50 pounds. Set-up time from the halt until launch readiness is 10 minutes with a trained crew.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The Gerbera Drone

Source: Reddit

     The purpose of a decoy, first and foremost, is to deceive. The more life-like the decoy is and assuming proper deployment and employment, it has the chance to trick the enemy into believing something that is not true. Interestingly, in military parlance, a “dummy” refers to a decoy that mimics a piece of weaponry or equipment that is in use on the battlefield. Nevertheless, the term decoy is used broadly regardless if the decoy in question is a dummy or not. The Ukrainian Army makes heavy use of decoys, notably of 155mm M777 howitzers, NASAMS surface-to-air missile systems, M142 HIMARS vehicles, and other high value military weapons. This is to preserve, as long as possible, the equipment they have from losses.

     The Russian Federation forces also make use of decoys though not to the extent the Ukrainians do. In fact, many of the photographed front line decoys put together by Russian units are not too convincing. However, the Russians are using far more realistic decoys of S-300 (NATO reporting name SA-10 Grumble) and S-400 (SA-21 Growler) long-range surface-to-air missile systems. For example, the Russian company BalticAir offers an inflatable S-400 for $22,235...a steal in comparison to the cost of the genuine article. These decoys are being deployed in the Far East to replace actual S-300 or S-400 units which have been diverted to Ukraine and they are also seen in Crimea. However, in some instances, these decoys are easily spotted as they are placed without the accompanying vehicles associated with these missile batteries, to include separate radar, tow, and/or command post vehicles.

     Unfortunately, there is one Russian decoy that is quite difficult to differentiate from the real thing and that is shown here in the form of a downed Gerbera drone. The Gerbera (sometimes known as the Gerber) mimics the general shape of the Iranian HESA Shahed 136 loitering munition which Russia has purchased from Iran as well as the Russian license-built version, the Geran-2. Both the Shahed 136 and the Geran-2 make up the majority of the weapons deployed in Russian drone strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure as well as civilian targets. The Gerbera is reported to have first appeared in service starting in late July 2024.

     When Russia launches an air attack against Ukrainian targets, mixed into the Geran-2 and Shahed 136 munitions are Gerbera drones. Their purpose is to draw Ukrainian anti-air fire to them which allows the lethal munitions to get through to the target. Generally, the Gerbera does not carry a payload but a Ukrainian defender does not have the time to determine if the Gerbera is or is not a Geran-2 of Shahed 136 as they look much the same. This results in Ukrainian anti-air units having to expend ammunition (to include surface-to-air missiles [SAMs]) on the decoys when they could have been used against actual targets. While heavy machine-gun ammunition and light cannon ammunition is more readily available for resupply, the Ukrainian military does not have very large stocks of replacement SAMs for potent systems such as the MIM-104 Patriot, IRIS-T, MIM-23 Hawk, and NASAMS. This is one reason the Ukrainian military is using older SAMs to make up for expenditures. This includes the S-200 (SA-5 Gammon) and the even older S-125 (SA-3 Goa). In fact, Ukraine had retired the S-200 in 2013 but has since taken them out of mothballs starting in the summer of 2023.

     The Gerbera is primarily built from plywood with foam plastics to make them very inexpensive to produce, light, and also radio-frequency transparent (meaning, radio waves can pass through the drone with little to no interference). Power usually comes from a Chinese DLE60 2-stroke, 60cc ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) made by Mile Hao Xiang Technology. Some Gerbera have also been shown to use a slightly more powerful Stinger 70cc ICE made by the Chinese company RCGF Stinger Company, Ltd. Either rear mounted engine drives a wooden, 2-bladed propeller. Overall, the Gerbera is 6.6 feet long with a wingspan of 8.2 feet. This is a bit smaller than the Geran-2 which is 11 feet long but the Geran-2 shares the same wingspan as the Gerbera.

     A rather disturbing fact about the Gerbera is the number of components that are not Russian. Besides the Chinese engines, the electronics are from around the world...even from the United States. The XK-F358 mesh network (a broad band communication system for drone control) inside downed Gerbera drones has been proven to show hardware obtained from U.S. companies Analog Devices, Micron Technology, Xilinx Inc., Altera Corp., and even Texas Instruments. Other countries include Germany (Infineon Technologies), Ampleon (Netherlands), Realtek (Taiwan), and UIY, Inc. (China). Controlled radial pattern antennas and their related hardware (CPRA; used to protect GPS systems from interference/jamming) have been sourced from Analog Devices (United States), NXP Semiconductors (Netherlands), Integrated Silicon Solutions (United States), Monolithic Power Systems (United States), Linear Technology Corp. (United States), and again from Texas Instruments. So far, the 3-axis gimbal mounted camera used by the Gerbera comes from the Chinese company Topotek. Universal flight controllers and the hardware that goes with them is mainly Texas Instruments products. Other parts for the flight controllers has been obtained from XLSEMI (China), ATMEL Corp. (United States), U-Blox (Switzerland), STMicroelectronics (Switzerland), and NXP Semiconductors (Netherlands). Some downed Gerbera drones were found to be using Ukrainian SIM cards which permitted the drones to use Ukrainian high-speed connections for control guidance.

     Besides being a decoy, the Gerbera has also been shown to come in two other variants. The first is a loitering munition (much like the Geran-2 it mimics). At this task, it is not as successful as the Geran-2. It is believed the explosive payload is only 22 pounds compared to 198 pounds of the Geran-2. The normal decoy Gerbera has a range of around 186 miles but the loitering munition variant is thought to have a shorter range due to the added weight. Also, the camera used by the Gerbera is of a low quality, broadcasting using TV channels. It means the drone operator must manually fly the Gerbera into the target, much like a FPV drone, but without the superior maneuverability of a FPV drone. The second variant is used for reconnaissance, either using video cameras or gathering electronic data.

     As a note, the slogan scrawled on the left wing translates to “There will be no truce!”

Russo-Ukrainian War: The Latek Safari HG-105M Shotgun

Source: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine

     The prevalence of FPV (First Person View) drones on the battlefields of the Russo-Ukrainian War has been seeing the continued expansion of the shotgun as a means to combat them. At first, civilian shotguns were appearing in the hands of both Ukrainian and Russian troops, such as vintage TOZ-34 and TOZ-66 shotguns (neither of which are pump-action). The Ukrainian military has been purchasing more modern shotguns, notably those produced by Turkish arms manufacturers. One such example is shown here in the hands of a soldier of the 36th. Marine Brigade “Mykhailo Bilynsky”. The weapon is the Safari HG-105M semi-automatic 12-gauge shotgun, built by the Ukrainian non-state arms manufacturer Latek LLC. This is a license-built variant of the HG-105 which is designed and produced by the Turkish company Hima Arms.

     Why are shotguns the preferred means to combat FPV drones? The reason is pretty basic. Shotguns throw a lot of metal pellets into the air which greatly increases the chances of striking a flying drone and potentially damaging it. The very common #00 (sometimes called “double ought”) buckshot shell contains 8 or 9 pellets, each .330 inches in diameter. #1 buckshot holds 12 to 16 pellets while #4 buckshot has 21 to 28 pellets though this comes at the expense of diameter size. Another advantage of buckshot is the spread of the pellets as they travel through the air. Thus, rather than relying on sheer luck to down a moving FPV drone with a pistol or rifle bullet, a single shotgun shell can hurl several projectiles into the air at one time with a single pull of the trigger. As such, the odds of a strike are increased. A skilled user will have conducted patterning with his weapon. This involves firing the shotgun at a target from different ranges to see how many pellets hit. Often, the further away the target is, the fewer pellets will hit. As such, by patterning, the firer will be able to tell the optimum engagement range in which the majority of pellets will hit.

     Specifics of the Safari HG-105M are not given (even on Latek's website) and so what follows are the specifications for the Hima Arms HG-105D to which the Safari HG-105M is most likely similar to. The receiver and a portion of the weapon's internals uses 6082 aluminum alloy while the furniture is polymer. The barrel, bolt, bolt carrier, and the lock is made of 4140 steel. Overall length of the HG-105D is 28.5 inches with a empty weight of 8.6 pounds. The HG-105D has interchangeable chokes (full, modified, and cylinder), allowing the user to optimize accuracy and range by constricting the barrel to maintain a tighter pellet pattern at longer ranges (full choke) or, if desired, the opposite...a wider spread at closer ranges (cylinder choke). A modified choke falls in between full and cylinder. The HG-105D can use either a 5-round or 10-round polymer magazine. There is a photograph of a Safari HG-105M in Ukrainian service with an extended “banana” magazine that looks to hold at least 15 rounds. There is a picatinny rail on top of the weapon for optics and it comes standard with flip-up sights. Being semi-automatic, it fires as fast as the operator can pull the trigger. Other features include a reversible charging handle and a height-adjustable cheek rest.

     At a full choke, the typical effective range for a shotgun is 150 feet or 45 meters. This is often good enough to engage a FPV drone that requires contact with the target in order to detonate. Likewise, it can be effective to tackle smaller drones which are used for bomb drops or reconnaissance. Of course, regardless, it requires the shotgun wielder to actually spot the drone in order to engage it as some drones are quite quiet until they are almost on top of the target.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The Antonov An-196 Liutyi

Source: 14th. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Regiment

     The An-196 Liutyi ("Fierce"), shown here being prepped for a mission by personnel of the 14th. UAV Regiment, is produced by State Enterprise Antonov (a part of Ukroboronprom) and has been dubbed the “Ukrainian Shahed” (referencing the Iranian HESA Shahed 136 drones the Russians use) in media sources. The An-196 was developed in October 2022 and revealed a month later. 

     It is a pusher-design with the air-cooled, 4-valve engine in the rear, driving a 3-bladed propeller. The explosive payload of the An-196 is between 110 to 165 pounds which is wrapped in a fragmentation sleeve and the drone has a range in excess of 621 miles. The longest visually confirmed range achieved by an An-196 is 497 miles when one was downed by Russian anti-air defenses in the Ulyanovsk Oblast during an attack on the Syzran refinery in late April 2024. It is said the An-196 can attain a maximum range of 1,242 miles or more but this remains unverified. Such a range, if confirmed, may come at the expense of explosive payload capacity. 

     The drone uses a nose mounted impact fuze to detonate the warhead and guidance is a combination of satellite navigation and a onboard inertial navigation system. In addition, the An-196 uses a sophisticated flight computer system that allows it to autonomously change flight direction as needed as it flies towards the target. This is accomplished by pre-loading both navigation data and terrain data for the path into the computer. The drone can then compare what it “sees” externally and if they do not match, it can maneuver accordingly. For example, if a cellphone tower is not in the drone's data but the drone detects it in it's flight path, it will avoid it then return to its original trajectory. As such, it means that a drone operator isn't required to control the drone through its entire flight.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The BMP-2M "Berezhok"

Source: saintjavelin on Instagam

     What is likely the most bizarre ersatz anti-drone defense yet created is shown here, adorning a Russian BMP-2 IFV. The photograph started making the rounds of social media in the first week of May 2025. The defense consists of multiple lengths of heavy cables which have been unwound and the stranded steel wires that make up the cable splayed out into a cone-shaped arrangement. That the cable is heavy is because the steel wires are not bending and remain in the shape they were put into.

     It can be assumed that the intent of using such an odd method is to make it very difficult for a FPV drone operator to successfully fly his or her drone into the BMP-2 without the drone's propellers striking one or more of the wires and either becoming fouled in the wires or the propeller blades being damaged or broken. It is also possible that the wires may catch on a piece of the drone body such as on the zip-ties that are usually used to secure RPG warheads to the drone (as an example). One can imagine entering or exiting the BMP-2 is a tricky affair and that the wiring could be bent back if the vehicle runs through obstacles or closer confines such as urban terrain or wooded areas. In addition to the multiple wire bristle bunches, the BMP-2 also has the far more common anti-drone cage atop the turret. It is quite high and utilizes weighted chains on the sides rather than metal screens or chain link fencing.

     As for the exact make of the BMP-2, it looks to be a BMP-2M “Berezhok”. The name refers to the B05YA01 Berezhok (meaning “Shore”) combat module that replaces the standard BMP-2 turret. The new turret retains the 2A42 30mm autocannon and co-axial PKT 7.62mm machine-gun of the original BMP-2 but adds a AG-30M (or AGS-17) 30mm automatic grenade launcher (with 300 rounds) and two launch rails on each side of the turret for the 9M133M Kornet-M (NATO reporting name AT-14 Spriggan) anti-tank guided missile (ATGM). The BMP-2M “Berezhok” does not carry any reloads for the missiles and so only the four fitted to their launch rails are available. The standard 9M133 missile, which uses SACLOS (Semi-Automatic Command to Line Of Sight) laser beam riding guidance, can attain a maximum range of 3.4 miles can penetrate over 1,000mm of rolled homogeneous armor after explosive reactive armor (ERA) due to its tandem charge HEAT (High-Explosive Anti-Tank) warhead.

     Other upgrades to the BMP-2M “Berezhok” include six 81mm Type 902V Tucha smoke grenade launchers, a R-168 aqueduct intercom system for the crew, PL-1 laser illuminator, BPK-3-42 gunner's sight, 1PZ-13 commander's sight, laser range finder, and a ballistic computer tied into a “Redut” fire control system (FCS). The FCS can maintain tracking on multiple targets and can continually update firing solutions for all of the turret's weapons. Some vehicles may be equipped with the more powerful UTD-23 engine but this is more to compensate for the added 2 tons of weight due to the turret and armor (see below) as performance is the same as the regular BMP-2.

     For armor, the BMP-2M “Berezhok” has the same level of protection as the standard BMP-2 hull but some vehicles, like this one, utilize the 675-sb3KDZ add-on armor kit. This adds slat armor panels to the vehicle sides, front (missing here), turret circumference, and rear. In addition, the hull sides and the lower glacis of the front hull are fitted with polymer NERA (Non-Explosive Reactive Armor) blocks. These NERA blocks (in addition to the steel mounting plates the blocks are connected to) allow the BMP-2M “Berezhok” to withstand impacts from 12.7mm heavy machine-gun ammunition and some smaller anti-tank grenades.

For more information on the base BMP-2, visit:

https://photosofmilitaryhistory.blogspot.com/2025/01/russo-ukrainian-war-bmp-2-141st.html

Russo-Ukrainian War: The Praktika Kozak-5

Source: Reddit

     Photographed sometime in April 2025, a Kozak-5 infantry mobility vehicle (IMV) sports an extensive arrangement of anti-drone screens around the vehicle and what appears to be an anti-mine apparatus fitted to the front. The Kozak-5 (“Kozak” meaning “Cossack”) is a development of Ukrainian company Praktika's Kozak-1 which first appeared in 2009.

     The Kozak-5 is built using a variant of the chassis for the Ford F550 truck. While the Kozak-5 can be obtained with a stock chassis, it can be upgraded with a strengthened front axle housing, heavier shock absorbers and coil springs, and bigger wheels to support heavy-duty tires. A further upgrade involves replacing the regular axles with Meritor built axles which boost payload capacity by 2 tons on the front axle, even heavier springs and shock absorbers, Meritor quadratic brakes, CTIS (Central Tire Inflation System), and mil-spec wheels.

     For an engine, a Power Stroke 6.7 liter V8 diesel motor is installed with a 330 horsepower output. This is paired to a Torq Shift 10-R-140 automatic transmission with a 11-speed gearbox (10 forward, 1 reverse). On  the road, the Kozak-5 has a maximum speed of 93 miles per hour and with the onboard fuel capacity, the operational range is 497 miles.

     As an IMV, the Kozak-5 supports STANAG 4569 Level 2 armor protection as standard, using a steel alloy blend which has both a high hardness but also some plasticity. As such, the all-around defense can defeat Russian BZ 7.62x39mm API (Armor-Piercing Incendiary) ammunition at 30 meters. It also protects against 155mm HE (High-Explosive) shell fragments at 80 meters. The bullet-proof glass, made by Praktika, uses a sandwich of glass panes connected by polymer film layers. Against blasts from mines and IEDs, the Kozak-5 comes standard with STANAG 4569 Level 2a and 2b defense. Thus, it can withstand running over a 13 pound explosive charge within a pressure activated mine (Level 2a) and can also protect against a mine detonation underneath the center of the vehicle, again with a 13 pound explosive charge (Level 2b). Additional protection comes from an automatic fire extinguishing system, one for the engine and the other for the crew compartment.

     The Kozak-5 can be fitted out with three styles of turret. The first is the “basic turret” and that is shown in the photograph here. It consists of a front gun shield with two vision blocks, side shields with vision blocks, and a rear shield. Rear view mirrors are provided on the turret sides. The “simplistic design” is much as the first but without the front gun shield. Finally, there is the “closed design” which is a fully enclosed turret with bullet-proof glass vision panes and a roof hatch. The gun mount for all three turrets is designed for medium machine-guns like the 7.62mm PK. The turret is electrically rotated but can be manually rotated if need be. There are five gun ports (two per side and one in the rear) that permit passengers to utilize their small arms.

     Other systems include ergonomic seats (IMV model capacity is 9 men, including the two man crew), internal lighting, individual “goose-neck” lights for directed illumination, self-recovery winch, heater, and air-conditioning system (with an additional AC evaporator). Optional equipment includes video cameras, GPS navigation system, radio unit(s), black-out lighting, and a rear-view video camera for use by the driver.

     Returning to the photograph, the front screen is hinged to permit access to the hood for engine maintenance. There is a gap in the front screen arrangement to allow for a field of fire for the turret weapon (not fitted in this picture) though the overhead screen limits the area of attack by a FPV drone against the turret. The more interesting feature is the anti-mine apparatus. Each side has two thick rubberized material (likely conveyor belts) flaps, weighted at the bottom with a metal bar arrangement and chains can be seen which look to be what the strips are secured to via another metal bar. In turn, the chains are attached to the arms coming off the front of the Kozak-5. When in operation, the flaps would  drag along the ground and hopefully would catch any lever activated landmine and set it off before the Kozak-5's wheels did. It is similar to the KMT-6 mine ploughs Soviet-era tanks utilize to dig into the ground and push buried mines to the sides of the tank before the tracks hit them.