Russian military personnel rely on Geranium-3 kamikaze drones, created on the basis of the Iranian Shahed-238 UAV. Over the past year, the Russian Armed Forces have used more than 15,000 of these UAVs. This was written by military expert Brandon J. Weichert in an article for The National Interest.
At the end of 2023, Iran introduced a kamikaze drone with a jet engine Shahed-238, which Russia adapted, creating the "Geranium-3". The new drone is equipped with a Tolou-10/13 turbofan engine.
Weichert emphasized that the speed of the "Geranium-3" is significantly higher compared to previous models. Consequently, the kamikaze drone will reach its target faster and it is more difficult to intercept.
Russian engineers have improved the Shahed-238 by integrating components of Chinese production, including an eight-channel CRP satellite navigation antenna and a Beijing Microelectronics microchip. Thus, they circumvented Western sanctions.
According to the author, only "in the last year Russia launched 15,011 Geranium-type drones." In 2024, the production volume of kamikaze drones reached 440 units per month. The plans for this year included an increase in production to 6,000 units per month, Weichert added.
A "Geranium" with a jet engine is estimated at $150,000 per piece, but it is cheaper than producing a cruise missile. The Iranian-Russian alliance is becoming dangerous for the West.
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