Thread by @ChrisO_wiki

1/ A new type of Russian kamikaze drone, known as the Gerbera, was used in this week's large-scale drone attack on Ukraine. Derived from Iran's Shahed drone, technical details of the Gerbera have been published on Telegram. ⬇️

https://x.com/UkrReview/status/1817658135290499200

2/ The Russian Weapons Telegram channel reports that the Gerbera can be used in multiple configurations, including reconnaissance, as decoys, or as a one way attack drone:

3/ "In the reconnaissance configuration, this drone can be equipped with a multispectral television and thermal imaging optical-electronic module with a short-/medium-wave IR channel, as well as a command and telemetry channel and a channel for transmitting video images from…

4/ …sensors installed via 4G networks, or via individual secure radio channels using repeaters for operating in a radius of more than 100 km.

5/ "In addition to the optical-electronic reconnaissance module, drones can be equipped with interferometric sensors for passive electronic reconnaissance to uncover and identify radars that detect and illuminate enemy air defense systems or active electronic warfare systems…

6/ …that operate by emitting radiation.

Also, the Gerbera UAV can be used as false targets-simulators of the electronic optical sights of other UAVs by equipping them with Luneberg lenses.

7/ "This version of the Gerbera UAV is designed to oversaturate the target channel and mislead the enemy's air defence missile system calculations. This version of the drones is equipped with INS and GLONASS/GPS correction modules.

8/ "The strike version of the drones has a similar control system and high-explosive fragmentation or thermobaric equipment. Made of foam plastic and plywood, the Gerbera UAVs have an ultra-low radar cross-section of about 0.015 - 0.03 sq. m."

9/ The drone, which is about 2 m long with a 2.5 m wingspan, was developed by the Gastello Design Bureau and is being produced by the Alabuga Polytechnic drone factory in Tatarstan. A group calling itself 'Stalin's Falcons' released a video promoting it.

10/ According to a Ukrainian analysis, its hardware is fairly simple: "navigation and control systems, batteries, and a 4G modem with a SIM card from a Ukrainian mobile network operator." Terminal guidance appears to be carried out manually by an operator.

11/ Although the performance of the drone is reported to be quite poor, it is also likely to be extremely cheap to build – much more so than the Shahed. It can be expended in large numbers to gather intelligence on Ukrainian air defences.

12/ As Defence Express notes, it can identify "Ukrainian radar systems with real-time data transmission through the Ukrainian mobile network. The decoy variant can be helpful, too, as a low-cost false target to force Ukrainians to spend expensive anti-aircraft ammunition."

13/ It's probable that this week's drone assault was conducted to gather intelligence and identify gaps in the coverage of radars and ground-based air defence systems. If so, it will likely be a prelude to a large-scale Shahed and cruise missile attack in the near future. /end

Sources:
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🔹 t.me/RussianArms/84…
en.defence-ua.com/weapon_and_tec…
en.defence-ua.com/weapon_and_tec…