Russian-made Gerbera drones utilize Chinese engines, Western parts – Defense Intelligence
Russia is extensively using Gerbera drones against Ukraine, which are capable of carrying a warhead and conducting radio-electronic reconnaissance, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) reported on Telegram on Nov. 18.
These UAVs contain foreign components, including Chinese engines and Western chips.
The drones are assembled at a factory in Yelabuga, Republic of Tatarstan, and are designed to mimic Shahed-136 or Geran-2 drones, massively used by Russia to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses.
According to the HUR, Gerbera drones are made of plywood and foam, making them significantly cheaper than Shahed drones. However, the drone's components include foreign-made parts imported from China through third-party companies. Russians assemble Gerbera drones based on a Chinese prototype manufactured by Skywalker Technology Co., Ltd.
The drone contains chips and other components manufactured by Analog Devices and Texas Instruments (USA), NXP Semiconductors (Netherlands), STMicroelectronics, U-Blox (Switzerland), and XLSEMI (China).
The unmanned aerial vehicle is equipped with a Chinese Topotek KHY10S90 camera and a Xingkai Tech Mesh Network XK-F358 modem. The engine, DLE60, is manufactured by the Chinese company Mile Hao Xiang Technology Co., Ltd. In the summer of 2024, this company was sanctioned by the United States for supplying parts to the aggressor state, the military intelligence added.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on Nov. 5 that a record number of Russian drone launches against Ukraine were documented in October. From August to October 2024, Russia launched 4,300 Shahed and other drones. Ukrainian Defense Forces managed to shoot down 3,063 drones, which is 71%.
Defense Intelligence reported on Nov. 11 that approximately half of the drones launched by Russia against Ukraine are decoys that mimic Shaheds and distract Ukrainian air defenses. Among these are the Parodiya drones, which also contain foreign components.
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