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The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has published details of a new modification of the Russian UAV “Geran-2”, equipped with the R-60 aircraft missile.
Main theses:
- The Russian R-60 missile is adapted for installation on Geran-2 drones, creating a threat to Ukrainian aviation.
- The Geran-2 drone is equipped with an improved missile and modern electronic equipment to increase combat effectiveness.
- The principle of using the missile is to transmit images from the drone's cameras to the operator for homing to the target and hitting it.
Russia will strike Ukrainian helicopters and planes with drones equipped with modified R-60 missiles
The “Weapon Components” section of the War&Sanctions portal publishes the structure, components, and list of enterprises involved in the production of the Geran-2 E-series UAV, equipped with the R-60 missile.
Russia has adapted an old Soviet development — the R-60 air-to-air missile — for installation on the Geran to destroy Ukrainian helicopters and aircraft hunting Russian drones.
The missile with the APU-60-1MD (P-62-1MD) aviation launcher is mounted on a special bracket located in the upper front part of the UAV fuselage.
The drone is equipped with two network cameras – in the nose and behind the missile launcher. Video and control commands are transmitted via a Chinese mesh modem Xingkay Tech XK-F358.
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Xingkay Tech XK-F358
The flight controller, navigation and inertial units remain typical for other “Geraniums”. For satellite navigation in conditions of active electronic warfare, a 12-channel jamming-protected “Comet” module is used.
The electronic stuffing also includes a Raspberry Pi 4 single-board microcomputer (UK), a tracker, and two GSM modems for telemetry transmission.
The countries of origin of the electronic component base remain standard for Russian UAVs of this type: USA, PRC, Switzerland, Taiwan, Japan, Germany and Great Britain. A full list of components with markings and photos is available at the link.
“Geranium” with a modified R-60 missile
The likely principle of using missiles is to transmit images from cameras mounted on the drone via a mesh modem to the operator, who, in the event of a Ukrainian plane or helicopter appearing in the strike zone, gives the missile's automation unit a command to launch it.
After launch, the R-60 thermal homing head independently captures the target. It is also possible to pre-capture the target with the homing head and transmit the relevant information to the operator, who gives the launch command.
The main goal of the new development is to create a threat to Ukrainian army and tactical aviation, reducing the effectiveness of its work in intercepting enemy UAVs. Thus, the Russian multi-purpose version of the Iranian Shahed-136 receives another purpose, and the experience of such use will probably also be transferred to Iran.