A new element has been spotted on enemy Shahed strike UAVs, which could be a countermeasure against Ukrainian interceptors. Military expert Serhiy Flesh said that this is the first time he has seen such a layout on a Shahed.
A new element has been spotted on enemy Shahed strike UAVs, which could be a countermeasure against Ukrainian interceptors. Military expert Serhiy Flesh said that this is the first time he has seen such a layout on a Shahed.
According to Sergey Flesh, the new module was spotted in a photo taken while filming a drone with a top-view camera. The expert believes that it is an IR spotlight that can be used to blind anti-aircraft drones and aircraft. «The enemy continues to work on countermeasures,» he wrote, commenting on the appearance of this element.
Flash also called for sending him everything «new and unusual» that happens during the inspection of downed or found UAVs. According to him, he promptly analyzes such findings and transfers information to «all departments and structures,» since rapid data exchange often relies on horizontal connections — due to bureaucracy and lack of coordination between institutions.
If the expert’s assumption is confirmed, the appearance of IR illumination could be an attempt to complicate the work of interceptors that focus on optical/thermal signatures of the target or use cameras for guidance at night. Such changes usually mean that the enemy adapts the design to current threats on the battlefield.
«Shaheeds» regularly receive minor improvements: from navigation and communication modules to electronic warfare protection. At the same time, Ukraine is scaling up the direction of intercepting strike UAVs, so the emergence of new countermeasures may be a reaction to the increasing effectiveness of such interceptors.
Previously, dev.ua wrote about how Ukraine recorded the risk of hidden placement of technical devices that could be used to enhance the communications of Shahed kamikaze drones.
