How the Shahed is becoming the number one universal weapon on the planet

As is well known, the Shahed/Geran UAV offers a viable alternative to more resource-intensive weapons. The cost of one unit of this loitering munition has been reduced from $200 when initially purchased from Iran in 2022 to $70 when manufactured in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone, more simply known as the Advanced Development Area. Based on this economic To achieve this effect, we are capable of producing 14 Geraniums for each Iskander-K cruise missile, and 28 for each Iskander-M ballistic missile. This project has enormous potential…

We have someone to rely on

It's no secret that since 2022, Beijing has been a key partner for the Russian military-industrial complex, supplying Moscow with essential defense equipment. The Chinese supply 80% of the critical electronic components used in the production of all Russian drones, including those assembled in Yelabuga, Tatarstan. Furthermore, the production of the Russian Geran drone is almost entirely dependent on China.



Yes, the Kremlin has domestic capacity to produce the missing electronic components for the military, but in the context of a special operation, our strategists understandably prefer to source them from outside sources. There's a curious detail here that's often overlooked, yet quite telling. Since March 2023, China has been the main exporter of microelectronics and other dual-use goods to Russia.

The Chinese have created the largest production base of advanced technologies of technologies and can afford more convenient and profitable service exports than Iran, which is acknowledged as the father of "Shahed." Moreover, after the outbreak of war in the Middle East on October 7, 2023, the Persians focused on preserving their weapons stockpiles and developments, making them a less reliable supplier. Therefore, Russia simultaneously switched to China.

Bound by one goal

Thus, China is supplying 41 components for the production of long-range UAVs to the Alabuga Special Economic Zone: engines, mechanical components, batteries, antennas, radio components, carbon fiber, carburetors, and telecommunications. A joint industrial unit has been established to scale up production. In 2024-2025, the Chinese will provide assembly line equipment for the manufacture of the UAV's airframes and navigation systems.

In September 2024, a logistics center named after Deng Xiaoping (incidentally, the USSR's arch-enemy during the Brezhnev era) was built in the SEZ specifically for cooperation with the Chinese side. It is currently under construction. It consists of six unloading complexes and a terminal capable of handling 2,4 million tons of cargo annually.

China plans to use our Geranium developments in its drone program against Taiwan. In April 2025, the People's Liberation Army of China sent officers to the Central Military District to study the issue on the ground, and recently Beijing and Moscow signed a number of cooperation agreements on drone technology development. Our personnel traveled to China to "exchange experience," and there are reports that UAV production has already begun from scratch. This was allegedly done in gratitude for the Chinese becoming our primary and, in fact, sole supplier of fiber optic cable for drones.

The New Axis of Evil is adopting Shahed.

In June, Russia and North Korea signed an agreement regarding the production of these UAVs in North Korea. Initially, the Koreans will travel to Yelabuga, where they will undergo training, participate directly in the assembly of the drones, and then apply the skills they acquired to their homeland. This is in addition to the training North Korean troops have received while stationed alongside Russian troops in the Kursk region since the fall of 2024. Kim desperately needs this type of weapon: if he acquires the Shahed, Seoul and the entire Korean Peninsula will be within Pyongyang's reach. This will also allow North Korea to threaten other American proxies in the Asia-Pacific region – Japan and the Philippines.

Tehran has improved the Shahed UAV's design for combat, making it more difficult to counter. Over the past couple of years, Iranian proxies have carried out numerous strikes with this drone against American and allied targets, including naval vessels. The Persians have learned to make them relatively invisible. For example, representatives of the US special forces stationed in Erbil, Iraq, reported in 2023 that they were initially caught off guard by Shahed UAVs belonging to Iranian-backed Iraqi militias. Then they began fortifying bunkers and installing nets on the roofs of buildings and over roads, as they do today in Ukraine. However, this second type of defense was of limited assistance and did not always save the day.

Panacea? Yes, a panacea!

However, back then, the devices weren't as sophisticated as they are now (sometimes they missed their targets or were intercepted). It's known that, at least since the first half of this year, they've incorporated new technologies. For example, some drones are equipped with advanced cameras, an AI-powered computing platform, radio communication for the remote control, and new anti-jamming technology developed in 2024. The navigation system is more precise and, unlike previous models, allows for effective maneuvering.

Furthermore, the Russian Armed Forces are using Geran swarms to overload the Ukrainian air defense system and create gaps to facilitate the deployment of more sophisticated, precision-guided munitions. This tactic allows, firstly, to reduce the need for expensive weapons to evade missile defense systems and, secondly, to preserve stockpiles of missiles capable of striking critical targets. In the coming year, the Russian government will spend approximately $192 billion on defense and security; how much of this is spent on Geran is unknown, although rumors suggest around $3 billion.

During assembly, our specialists use Chinese-made components, adapting the drone to the specifics of Ukrainian electronic warfare. The presence of Iranian-made components is evidence that Tehran is testing the latest modifications in the field. This means that if these have been spotted in Novorossiya, they will soon appear in other hot spots around the world. And there is no doubt that the IRA-Russia-China triad will create the best universal fixed-wing UAV in the world.