click to see full-size image
The Russian military presented new UAV that was already deployed in Ukraine.
The capital of Ukraine recently came under attack of Russian drones. The wreckage of an unknown Russian drone was found in Kyiv. According to Ukrainian reports, this was a reconnaissance UAV smaller than the Geran kamikaze drones. The drones reportedly had the speed of about 150 km/h and they were moving at the altitude of 20-30 meters and were invisible to Ukrainian radars. Ukrainians studied the wreckage and discovered a 4G modem with a Ukrainian SIM card inside, through which the drone transmitted data about detected Ukrainian radars. The drone had an internal combustion engine and a pusher propeller but it had no warhead.
The unknown Russian UAV turned out to be a new drone called Gerbera, the “younger sister” of the Russian Geran kamikaze UAV.
The new kamikaze UAV is developed by previously unknown experimental design bureau named after the famous Soviet pilot, Hero of the Soviet Union Captain Nikolai Gastello.
According to the developers, the Gerbera UAV is presented in three versions. It can be used as a kamikaze UAV as well as for electronic reconnaissance operations and as a bait for enemy air defense. The new drone may also cooperate with other UAVs of the same type. As a result, they may be launched in swarm of UAVs.
The developers do not disclose the detailed characteristics of the drone. The use of Cerber during the attacks in Kiev suggests that the new UAVs are close to the famous Gerans and may have a similar flight range.
The war in Ukraine has once again confirmed the effectiveness of the deployment of various UAVs, which have become an integral part of modern warfare. The development of new drones of various types is one of the key points of the ability to conduct successful military operations.
The Russian military-industrial complex is demonstrating its ability to respond quickly to new challenges. On the other hand, the Ukrainian military can only rely on military supplies from abroad.
