File image.
Russia has apparently developed an interceptor version of the Geran-2 drone that can be armed with an R-60M short-range air-to-air missile.
The existence of this version was revealed by Ukrainian media, which shared on December 1 footage showing an attempt to intercept one such drone and photos showing its wreckage. The drone was armed with one R-60M. The missile is placed in an inverted standard APU-60-I launcher on top of the drone.
The missile was likely installed in this position to keep the belly of the drone clear for the take off mechanism, which usually consists of a rocket booster.
Click to see full-size image. (Telegram)
Click to see full-size image. (Telegram)
The propeller-driven Geran-2, said to be a copy of Iran’s Shahed-136, has a range of around 2,500 kilometers with a cruise speed of 180 kilometers per hour.
The standard version of the drone is designed for one-way, or suicide, attacks. For that, it is equipped with a GLONASS-aided inertial navigation system and warhead weighting anywhere from 30 to 90 kilogram. The interceptor version, however, is likely equipped with some sort of a thermal imaging search and tracking system and a two-way data link.
The R-60M, first introduced in the early 1980s, is equipped with a nitrogen-cooled infrared seeker with an improved sensitivity and resistance to countermeasures like flares compared to earlier models. It has an engagement range of eight kilometers.
The missile weighs just 45 kg, which makes it perfect for arming a small drone like the Geran-2, which has a wingspan of just 2,5 meters. Its 1,6 kg warhead utilizes both optical and radar proximity fuzes.
The interceptor version of the Geran is not meant to intercept other drones, but rather to take down slower Ukrainian aircraft used as drone hunters, like helicopters and modified architectural fixed-wing planes, over the special military operation zone.
Hit with a severe shortage in air defenses, Kiev forces expanded the use of such means to counter increasing Russian drone attacks.
The interceptor Geran would likely be launched right after drone attack to take down any Ukrainian drone hunters that are still in the air. The successful deployment of such a system would of course require good intelligence, careful planning and precise timing.
Russia expanded the Geran program significantly this year, with recent reports suggesting that the country could soon produce as many as 6,000 such drones a month. The number covers the Geran-2, the lighter pusher-propelled Geran-1, and the jet-powered Geran-3 which is way faster. Versions used as loitering munitions, for reconnaissance, or even to scatter mines have been already tested.
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now the sheet gonna hit the fun. i bet maduro has a few of those too.
could be an option to close the airspace over ven – oh wait, chumpo claimed to have done that.
diversifying working operations for the benefit of the war time economic interests .casting a wider net . creating employment . increasing governments borrowing and supplying growth of gdp from the business of war. to justify their love of the common people .as always .