Russia Upgrades Geran-4 Drones With Better Navigation and New Warhead, Ukraine Says

Russia has upgraded its Geran-4 attack drones with technology designed to make them harder to disrupt and more accurate, Ukraine’s Military Intelligence (HUR) agency said. The new version, which Russia has started using this autumn, can navigate more precisely without relying entirely on satellite signals and carries a new warhead designed to damage bridges and power infrastructure.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. One of the upgrades is a small magnetic sensor made by US company PNI Sensor. It helps the drone understand changes in its position and correct errors in its onboard navigation system, improving its ability to stay on course. Russia has also added an optical navigation system called “Susanin.” In simple terms, the system uses a camera to compare what the drone sees below with images stored in its computer. This allows the drone to recognize where it is and follow its planned route even without relying on GPS or other satellite navigation. A similar system is being used on the newer Geran-5 drone, according to Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR). The upgraded Geran-4 also carries a new warhead designed specifically to attack infrastructure. It can use a powerful shaped charge to cut through bridge structures and supports carrying high-voltage power lines. Russia has also replaced the Chinese-made engine previously used on the drone with a Russian-made version produced at the Alabuga industrial facility in Russia’s Tatarstan. Other Topics of Interest Guterres’s Successor Will Need Russia’s Blessing Guterres secured humanitarian agreements but leaves deep distrust in Ukraine. The candidates to replace him face scrutiny over their own approaches to Moscow. Most of the drone’s other electronic components remain unchanged, HUR said in a report published on its War&Sanctions portal. What is the Geran-4? The Geran-4 is a relatively large, jet-powered attack drone designed for long-range strikes. It is about 3.6 meters (11.8 feet) long, has a 3.05-meter (10-foot) wingspan and can carry a warhead weighing up to 50 kilograms (110 pounds). It has a maximum takeoff weight of about 450 kilograms (992 pounds). Its cruising speed is around 320 km/h (200 mph), while its maximum speed is 350 km/h (217 mph). The drone has a reported range of about 770 kilometers (479 miles) and can fly at altitudes of up to 4 kilometers (2.5 miles). The Geran-5 is a larger and more powerful member of the same family. It is about 6.5 meters (21.3 feet) long and weighs up to 850 kilograms (1,874 pounds) – almost twice as much as the Geran-4. It can carry a warhead weighing up to 90 kilograms (198 pounds). The Geran-5 has a cruising speed of 450–600 km/h (280–373 mph) and a range of about 950 kilometers (590 miles). It can fly at altitudes of up to 6 kilometers (3.7 miles). In simple terms, the Geran-4 is smaller and lighter, while the Geran-5 is a much larger platform capable of carrying a heavier warhead and flying faster and farther. Alisa is the Head of News and a correspondent at Kyiv Post, where she leads the newsroom’s coverage of breaking events and global developments. With over seven years of experience in TV journalism, Alisa has reported on international and Ukrainian politics, making complex stories easier to understand. Back in September 2022, Alisa joined the Kyiv Post team.