A while back, when the first batch of 1,000 drones from Iran arrived in Russia, they instantly demonstrated outstanding combat effectiveness, rewriting the drones from Ukraine’s initial unilateral killing pattern.
The Shahid-136 is now the dominant force in the Russian retaliatory bombardment of Kyiv, in addition to being a devastating menace to armored vehicles in regular warfare. The cruise missile mode may always find the ideal target to start with.
The Iranian drones function excellently on the battlefield. The Russian army enjoys it a lot. The second batch of more advanced suicide drones has also arrived in Moscow as the situation continues to deteriorate.
This time, Russians have purchased the “Arash”-2 (Arash) suicide drone, which was flown on the 15th by an Il-76 transport plane from the Iranian Air Force to Moscow.
The “Alash” drone is more prominent and faster than the Shaheed-136 drone and is expected to become the nightmare of the Ukrainian killer “HIMARS.”
Russia is a Cold War superpower with strategic nuclear weapons, strategic bombers, and strategic nuclear submarines. Despite being one of the top three in the world in terms of overall strength, it is much inferior to national strength regarding drones.
Due to a strategic error or a struggling economy, Russia has lagged in drone development. Drones from the Ukrainian Army accurately hit senior leaders, front-line command stations, logistical supply depots, and other targets during the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
On October 7, Ukrainian drones even crossed the Russian border by 200 kilometers, bombing the Shaykovka Air Force Base in Kaluga. According to reports, they tried to shoot down two Tu-22MS strategic bombers. Only 170 kilometers separate this location from Moscow, and 200 kilometers separate it from Ukraine.
The Russian Aerospace Forces’ 52nd Guards Heavy Bomber Regiment has a base there. This demonstrates how effective Ukraine is at using UAVs (thanks to significant assistance from the West) and how weak the Russian air defense force is in comparison.
Currently, “HIMARS” is Ukraine’s most deadly weaponry, in addition to drones. The Russian army has been driven insane on the battlefield even though there have only been 16 sets of arrivals. Due to the excellent mobility, the launch preparation time is relatively quick.
Despite the United States restricting the range to 70 kilometers to avoid upsetting Russia, the “HIMARS” has been actively engaged in combat behind the Ukrainian front.
It is too challenging for the Russian army to discover their position fast after being assaulted and mobilize firepower to destroy and suppress them. It just takes a few minutes from entering the place to the time when the rockets are fired and left.
Not to mention how incredible the “HIMARS” are. It shares a type with the Russian-made “Tornado” rocket launcher, which gives it excellent combat potency.
It can enable real-time NATO intelligence support in addition to high-precision guided weapons. The deployment and mobilization of the Russian army’s front-line forces are being watched because of the real-time intelligence sharing given by the United States and NATO.
Therefore tactical-level weaponry like “HIMARS” actually had a quasi-strategic effect. The Russian army may always expect “HIMARS” to launch precision-guided munitions against it at a predetermined moment, then flee before it has a chance to respond. Each drone follow-up can represent Ukrainian intelligence, and this is highly accurate.
Due to the poor quality of its own drone technology, Russia started importing drones from Iran, which at first copied US drone technology. From a current vantage point, it stands out in the drone industry, with intricate and vast technology sources and numerous cutting-edge product models that have already attained world-class status. Last time, a drone called the Shahed-136 was given, comparable to the Israeli “Harpy” suicide drone.
It is 3.5 meters in length, has a wingspan of 2.5 meters, weighs around 200 kilos, and can travel more than 1,600 kilometers.
According to the current situation, bombings on the Ukrainian Southern Command and other targets, including arsenals and power plants, have significantly deterred the Ukrainian side. For instance, the offensive on the Ukrainian army at Kharkiv in September, just one week after it began, resulted in the destruction of two 2S3 self-propelled howitzers, two 2S1 self-propelled howitzers, and two BTR wheeled armored vehicles.
A mishap occurred just a few days ago in which a Ukrainian MiG-29 intercepted a Shahed-136 and was brought down by flying debris.
In September of this year, the recently introduced batch of “Arash”-2 (Arash) suicide drones was formally outfitted and put into duty. It is said to have a range of up to 2,000 kilometers and uses inertial navigation and GPS guidance.
It primarily conducts lengthy hunting expeditions. A swept-back main wing belt and a spherical, aerodynamically streamlined fuselage make for a speedier flight. It is propelled into orbit by a rocket booster and can be transported on a ship or a vehicle.
The rocket will be jettisoned once it has gained enough momentum, and the engine at the back of the fuselage will propel the craft onward.
In the context of acquiring Iranian drones in large quantities, the individual performance is unknown, although it is unquestionably far more potent than the Shaheed-136.
In addition to long-range attacks on deep targets in Ukraine, the suicide drones can help the Russian army acquire more air control and ensure firepower continuity. Additionally, it can inhibit “HIMARS” rocket launchers. Due to the lack of drones in the past, it was pretty passive. Now the ubiquitous Iranian drones can play a more significant role.
