Or whether it's really struck by the drone in the first place for that matter. I feel something like Krasnopol is more likely to cause such catasthropic destruction.
The War in the Ukraine
- Thread starter SampanViking
- Start date
About the Shahed-136, there's not much available online but I found this:
Comparing it to similar Chinese loitering drones, I think the warhead would be around 25kg. So pretty substantial.
The engine apparently is sold on aliexpress. I think most of it is made in China apart from the warhead and airframe, which is pretty easy to construct. If it was up to me I'd have the warhead made in Russia as they know what they're doing and it'll be safer transporting it.
Comparing it to similar Chinese loitering drones, I think the warhead would be around 25kg. So pretty substantial.
The engine apparently is sold on aliexpress. I think most of it is made in China apart from the warhead and airframe, which is pretty easy to construct. If it was up to me I'd have the warhead made in Russia as they know what they're doing and it'll be safer transporting it.
Much bigger warhead (5x), plus the fuel itself is an explosive. KUBs are battery powered. It should be able to take out anything on the battlefield in one hit.
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NYT article on Shahed-136. Ukrainians acknowledge 4 killed, 16 wounded. Equipment losses range from Howitzers (including the M777) and armored vehicles, from half dozen strikes. Twitter source link below.
Sounds like it's done more in a week than the wooden switchblades have done the whole war.
I found an old video demoing launch and impact:
Elensky was right when he said he would make Ukraine greater Israel, but probably not in the way he thought....
still much more expensive (~$100k+) than dumb gun shell (~$500) and guided rocket (~$50k-$100k). It's another tool in the kit.
Well, sometimes you need dozens and dozens of $500 shells to hit a target.
Point is there are more variables to cost efficiency than base unit price.
like I said it's a new tool in the kit. Some targets are better for a shell, some are better for a rocket, some are better for a drone.
1- The Iranians have a huge network of suppliers for a quite long time and extend over various countries, Americans are the only ones with this illusion that sanctions will stop the Iranians from building weapons, they may hurt your regular Iranian folk but do jack sh*t for a resourceful goverment who wants to get what the want.
From centrifuges, to materials, to highly accurate laser gyros to the damn factory to make the laser gyros, to ICs, to sensors, to precision manufacturing equipment, way down to get their chips make by some fabs like CETC or any other under a shell company.
The Chinese are not going to impose U.S. unilateral controls in their own borders.
2-The Iranians make their own semi products. Not that advance but probably good enough for military applications.
3- The Iranians are pretty capable when it come to Science and technology and they are not to be underestimated.
Reminds me of PRC before 1980s, sanctioned by almost everyone but made progress militarily nonetheless.