Russo-Ukrainian War: The Zlin Z-137T Agro-Turbo

Source: Reddit

     Anyone that monitors news feeds and social media images and videos of the Russo-Ukrainian War will often notice that much of the land in which engagements happen is on flat and open fields punctuated by thin lines of trees. There is good reason for that and why Ukraine is called the “Breadbasket of Europe”; some 71% of Ukraine's entire land mass is agricultural and Ukraine is one of the top three exporters of grain such as wheat. As such, it should not be surprising that crop dusting aircraft would be in use to service farmers and their fields. Except, in this instance, insects are not the targets but instead, Russian drones are. Some bloggers have nicknamed the aircraft shown here “Stuka” after the Junkers Ju 87 dive bomber of World War Two fame (or infamy depending on one's outlook). While there is a very superficial Ju 87 resemblance based on the aircraft's angle in this smartphone video screen capture, the aircraft is in actuality a Zlin Z-137T Agro-Turbo agricultural aircraft.

     Built by the Czech company Zlin Aircraft Otrokovice (formally Moravan Otrokovice), the Z-137T is derived from the earlier Zlin Z-37 Čmelák (“Bumblebee”). The prototype first flew in 1981 with production commencing in 1998 and when manufacturing ceased in 2007, a total of 56 aircraft were built (of which five were prototypes). A factory fresh Z-137T in 1998 carried a price tag of $230,000USD fully equipped for agricultural duty.

     The Z-137T is a single-seat aircraft with maximum agricultural work take-off weight of 5,566 pounds. Length is 34.3 feet, height of 11.5 feet, a wingspan of 44.7 feet, and a wing area of 256 square feet. Power comes from a Motorlet Walter M601Z reverse-flow, axial-centrifugal turboprop engine which develops 490 shaft horsepower. The engine drives a three-bladed, constant-speed propeller built by Avia. At an altitude of 500 meters, the maximum cruise speed is 157 miles per hour while the absolute maximum speed of the Z-137T is 177 miles per hour. Climb rate is 827 feet per minute. The service ceiling is 18,054 feet and with 92.5 gallons of onboard fuel, the maximum range is 216 miles. The Z-137T needs 1,905 feet of runway for take-off and 2,365 feet for landing.

     The Z-137T has a auxiliary 30 kilowatt drive system which operates the agricultural attachments such as chemical spraying gear or a rotary duster for dry fertilizers or pesticides. The former has a spray swath width of 131 feet while the duster has a 98 foot spread width.

     Of course, this modified Z-137T has replaced any agricultural apparatus for missile pylons. The Z-137T does have four hardpoints, two per wing, which are normally used for external fuel tanks to increase the aircraft's range. Here, the two inner hardpoints are fitted with fuel tanks (which, as a note, cannot be released by the pilot) while on each outer hardpoint is a single Vympel R-73 (NATO reporting name AA-11 Archer) short-range, infrared homing air-to-air missile (AAM). As Ukraine has a sizable stockpile of R-73 missiles, many of them have been repurposed for use as surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and, as indicated here, allocated to drone-hunting aircraft. The Z-137T, because of its speed, is well suited to drone interdiction in comparison to jet fighters. The typical Geran-2 drone has a maximum speed of 115 miles per hour and so the Z-137T can catch up to them even at cruise speed. It can also launch the R-73 towards the drone without the worry of overtaking the target and risking getting caught in any detonation of the drone's warhead. This is very much a risk for much faster moving jet fighters. Also, the slower close rate of the Z-137T against a drone means a longer time for the pilot to line up the target and achieve the best chance for a missile lock. Finally, aircraft such as the Z-137T are optimized for low altitude flight and can better operate at lower altitudes. The R-73, when used by fighter aircraft, is tied into the pilot's helmet-mounted sight. With but a glance to the target, the information is sent to the missile prior to launch. It is not known if the Z-137T's pilot has a HMS or if targeting is dependent on getting close enough to the targeted drone for the R-73's seeker to pick up the heat signature. The R-73 has a top speed of Mach 2.5 thanks to its solid-fuel rocket engine and it can carry its 16 pound warhead out to a range of 19 miles.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The BPAK Vampire Bomber Drone

Source: Florent Vergnes

     A staple of Ukrainian UAV forces is the bomber drone. As the designation suggests, these drones are designed to deliver lethal payloads to the enemy and, if need be, bring needed supplies to friendly troops. Bomber drones are much larger than their smaller FPV drone counterparts and unlike FPV drones, bomber drones are meant to return to their bases once their mission is completed. There, they are readied for the next operation. Collectively, the various bomber drone types used by the Ukrainian military are nicknamed “Baba Yaga” by Russian troops who are unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of the drone's payloads. The “Baba Yaga” bomber drone shown in the photograph is the BPAK Vampire.

     The Vampire is a six-rotor hexacopter design with a weight believed to be around 40 pounds and a production cost of around $10,000USD per unit. It has a payload capacity of no more than 33 pounds. Offensive payloads can include grenades, mortar bombs (up to 120mm), and PG-7 85mm warheads (used with the RPG-7). If required, the Vampire can carry a single TM series land mine if being utilized for area denial missions. The Vampire is primarily operated nocturnally thanks to the drone being fitted with a bispectral camera (which includes thermal). Navigation is aided by a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) antenna. The top speed of the Vampire is 62 miles per hour and if carrying a payload, maximum speed is 37 miles per hour. The Vampire's operating altitude is 1,640 feet and in ideal conditions, the maximum communication range between the drone and the operator's controller is 25 miles. Batteries provide the Vampire with a maximum endurance of 45 minutes when empty and if carrying a payload of 22 pounds, the endurance drops to 30 minutes. The operational range is no more than 12 miles. Typical training time for Vampire operator recruits is three hours to become competent in basic flight tasks.

     A common non-combat use for the Vampire is resupplying Ukrainian troop positions where regular logistical vehicles would be hard pressed to access (or can't). Another use, though much less common, is fire-fighting using custom designed bombs filled with water. The Vampire has also been used for humanitarian operations, notably following the Russian destruction of the Kakhovka Dam, by delivering supplies to civilians cut off from ground-based rescuers. 

     Vampire missions can involve multiple sorties against Russian targets. Once the drone drops its payload, it returns to its base. There, the batteries are swapped out for fresh ones, the drone rearmed, and it is sent out again. Usually, reconnaissance drones identify Russian targets and then units operating the Vampire in the area are contacted with the information. Thus, with confirmed targets, only then are the bomber drones sent out. Depending on the level of activity, operators of the Vampire can fly multiple missions per night. One drone operator with the 100th. Mechanized Brigade flew his Vampire on 27 sorties in a single night.

     The Vampire is not armored but has proven to be resilient against Russian small arms fire, being capable of returning to base with damage from bullet strikes. It is also resistant to Russian frequency jamming. Another protective measure is that if communication between the Vampire and its operator is broken, the drone will automatically return to its point of origin.

Russo-Ukrainian War: Robotized Complexes Plyushch UGV

Source: Robotized Complexes

     Even to the more casual follower of the Russo-Ukrainian War, it is clear that the conflict is very much dominated by electronic warfare (EW). The heavy deployment of UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) and FPV (First Person View) drones by both sides in the war have shown the militaries of the world that no longer are UAVs just pure reconnaissance platforms and that effective drones and UAVs are no longer the province of military forces with massive budgets. The Ukrainian Army, by necessity, has revolutionized UAV and drone usage. In part, this is to create a low cost, but effective, force multiplier that permits the Ukrainian military to extend strike capability far into Russia. It also permitted the Ukrainian Navy to reassert dominance in the Black Sea where sea-going drones (USVs or Unmanned Surface Vehicles) have kept the Russian Black Sea Fleet impotent. Advancements in remote operated self-defense weapons on Ukrainian USVs has seen Russian aviation finding that attempting to destroy Ukrainian USVs is a risky prospect. The Ukrainian Army has been expanding the usage of UGVs, or Unmanned Ground Vehicles, to extend the capabilities of Ukrainian drone operations as well as defensive, offensive, and logistical support tasks. An example of the former is shown here, the Plyushch (“Plush”).

     Developed and built by Robotized Complexes, the Plyushch is a UGV that is designed to work in cooperation with Ukrainian UAV and drone units. The tracked vehicle is equipped with an electro-hydraulic motor that, at full charge, provides for a range of just shy of 25 miles (24.8 miles). Top speed is 5.5 miles per hour. By not having a internal combustion engine, the Plyushch enjoys a measure of stealth due to the lack of engine noise. The Plyushch is not light, having a weight of a bit over 1,700 pounds (1,708lb. to be exact). Using a commercially available 5.8GHz radio system and ground controller built by SIYI (a division of the Chinese company Reebot Robotics), the Plyushch can be remote controlled from as far away as 6 miles in open terrain. The Plyushch's small size makes it easily transportable and deployed quickly to where needed while that same small size provides for a level of concealment from detection.

     Of course, the main “weapon” of the Plyushch is a collapsible/telescoping mast antenna atop the vehicle's hull. It takes 1 minute, 20 seconds for the antenna to fully deploy and only a minute to return to travel order. At full extension, the mast is 32.8 feet high. The top of the antenna houses electronic equipment for two purposes...though for operational security, the specifics and capabilities of both have not been disclosed. The first purpose is for radio relay and this is used to extend the signal range of command channels of drones. This allows drones to loiter over the battlefield at further distances than would otherwise be possible without a relay. By consequence, this allows the drone operator to be further away from the front line and thus enjoying a measure of enhanced protection from detection and retaliation if spotted. Also, the use of the Plyushch as a relay means improved signal in areas where signal infrastructure is damaged or degraded, terrain lessens signal range, or Russian jamming is heavy. The second purpose is as a EW platform, jamming communication and navigation frequencies utilized by Russian UAVs and drones.

Russo-Ukrainian War: Drone Strike on M1991 MRLS

Video Source: ukraine_defense on Instagram

     What is shown here is a unbelievable sequence of screenshots taken from video transmitted by drones operated by the 413th. UAV Battalion “Raid”. The target is a M1991 240mm MRLS (Multiple Rocket Launch System) operated by a Russian crew. The M1991, built by North Korea, was first confirmed in use by Russian rocket forces in April 2025. What follows is the timeline of the attack.

1) The M1991, detected by a Ukrainian reconnaissance drone, is followed to what is probably a hide for the vehicle. The whitish appearance of the rocket tubes indicates heavy usage.

2) At this point, the 413th. Battalion's FPV drone arrives and commences the attack on the M1991.

3) Of course, the most damage can be caused by hitting the launcher and so the drone operator targets it...

4) ...and the drone fires a charge into the launcher's rear. The reconnaissance drone, loitering overhead, remains to assess the damage.

5) The strike almost immediately causes one of the rockets to launch, which rips through the cab of the M1991, the exhaust from the solid fuel motor engulfing the vehicle in flame. It also incinerates the drone.

6) Amazingly, both of the crewmen in the cab survive, bailing out of the vehicle (their uniforms have been burnt away), and running off before the entire M1991 detonates in a massive explosion.

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 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: "Garpiya" 8-Channel Drone Jammer

Source: Krasnaya Zvezda

     With the inability of Russian logistics to adequately supply Russian Federation troops in the field with counter-drone equipment, it is not unusual that those troops who have the wherewithal purchase their own equipment off the civilian market or campaign via social media for donations either in funds for the unit to buy the gear or equipment is purchased by donors who then send it to the unit. Either way, the drone jammer seen here is one available on the Russian civilian market.

     Called the “Гарпия” ("Garpiya" meaning “Harpy”), the jammer can generate interference on eight drone channels via a 400 total watt output capacity. Each of the omidirectional antennas broadcasts the interference in a set band or the operator can elect to use a single directional panel antenna. The “Harpy” is offered in two versions, the difference being what frequencies the jammer operates against. The frequency in parenthesis is the primary frequency for that range. The first version targets drone control frequencies using 428 to 438MHz (433MHz), 860 to 930MHz (900MHz), 1,180 to 1,430MHz (1.2GHz), 1,380 to 1,430MHz (1.4GHz), 1,550 to 1,620MHz (1.5GHz), 2,400 to 2,500MHz (2.4GHz), 5,150 to 5,350MHz (5.2GHz), and 5,725 to 5,850MHz (5.8GHz). The second version targets frequencies between 300 to 400MHz (350MHz), 380 to 480MHz (459MHz), 500 to 650MHz (600MHz), 640 to 750MHz (700MHz), 750 to 920MHz (800MHz), 910 to 1,100MHz (1GHz), 2,390 to 2,500MHz (2.4GHz), and 5,720 to 5,860MHz (5.8MHz). The “Harpy” consumes 500 watts of power and it uses a 20 amp hour battery. This gives the “Harpy” approximately 8 hours of usage between battery changes or recharge.

     The pack weighs 35 pounds and the maximum range is 1.2 miles though this can be impacted by terrain and other conditions. If operating where mobile network signal is dense, the range of the “Harpy” is degraded. The “Harpy” does include anti-interference technology to combat electronic countermeasures (ECM). To keep the entire system cool, the pack incorporates heat sinks and cooling fans. Finally, the operator is provided with a remote control pad for the “Harpy”, tied into the unit via a cable. This permits the operator to use the “Harpy” without having to take it off his back.

     The weapon the soldier is using looks to be a TOZ-34 over-under shotgun. It does appear he is using 12-gauge shells, likely #00 buckshot.