On September 25th, Ukraine’s defense forces successfully intercepted a Russian Shahed-136 drone equipped with Starlink satellite communication technology during a nighttime attack. This is the first known instance of Russian forces using this technology in their unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Out of the 32 Shahed drones launched by Russia, 28 were reportedly shot down by Ukraine.
The Shahed drones, also known as “kamikaze” drones, are launched by Russian forces every night and are often accompanied by missile attacks. Russia has localized the production of these drones, originally from Iran, and is working on various modifications, including improving their communication systems to allow for in-flight route adjustments.
Exclusive photos obtained by Defense Express show a satellite antenna with visible serial numbers on the intercepted Shahed-136. This could potentially help investigate the supply channels of the Starlink terminal. The integration of Starlink technology into Russian drones was expected, as they had previously experimented with 4G modems using Ukrainian SIM cards. This development greatly enhances the capabilities of Russian UAVs, providing a powerful feedback channel for information transmission and allowing for mission changes from any distance.
Defense Express suggests that Russia may be using Starlink to transmit reconnaissance information, such as data collected by electronic intelligence on Ukrainian air defense positions or imagery from cameras on the drone. This effectively turns the Shahed-136 into a long-range loitering munition with additional reconnaissance capabilities and the ability to strike moving targets.
The choice of the Shahed-136 platform for this purpose may be due to its flight range of approximately 2000 km and the large free space inside its fuselage. While Starlink does not operate or sell its services in Russia, Russian entities have been purchasing the technology through third countries.
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