Shahed-type kamikaze drones, which are increasingly being used by Russia against Ukraine, are much more expensive and more complex to manufacture than conventional ones, military expert and founder of the Reactive Mail organization Pavlo Narozhnyi said on Ukrainian Radio.
Commenting on the night shelling of Kyiv, he noted that Russia used standard tactics: first they used drones, and then missiles. According to the expert, some of the UAVs belonged to the Shahed jet modifications.
“ These drones are technologically much more complex than conventional “Shaheds” with an internal combustion engine. Their production is many times more expensive — according to Iranian intelligence, such devices were sold to Russia for over a million dollars ,” Narozny explained.
While a regular Shahed costs around $100,000–150,000, jet drones require special production of turbojet engines — similar to those used in cruise missiles. According to the expert, even the Czech Republic, which has an established production of such engines, is slowly rolling out the process.
“ It makes more sense to use these engines in missiles than in drones, because we are talking about the same units ,” the military observer emphasized.
What is the reactive “Shahed”:
The jet drones are the latest versions of the Shahed, known as the Shahed-238 or their Russian counterpart, the Geran-3, with a Tolou-10/13 turbojet engine.
They are capable of:
-
cover up to 2500 km;
-
fly much faster;
-
be less noticeable to air defenses due to shorter approach time.
Pavlo Narozhnyi emphasized that even ordinary “Shaheeds” continue to pose a serious threat. However, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine demonstrates high efficiency — more than 90% of drones are managed to be shot down, even during massive attacks.
Previously, the GUR reported on the active deployment of the Russian Federation in the production of jet drones, which actually combine the characteristics of a kamikaze drone and a cruise missile.
