Jet-powered variants of Russian Geran kamikaze drones effectively break through air defence networks during strikes against targets in Ukraine, American defence publication TWZ reported.
TWZ, a US military technology outlet, acknowledged the operational effectiveness of the modified uncrewed aircraft, noting that while heavier jet models offer less flight range than internal combustion Geran-2 versions, maximum distance is not always required to hit targets deep within Kyiv-controlled territory.
According to the TWZ analysis, jet propulsion enables the uncrewed vehicles to penetrate deeper into target areas at higher altitudes. This capability allows the aircraft to operate outside the effective engagement zone of lower-level air defence systems.
The author added that the ongoing ramp-up in Geran manufacturing has turned the uncrewed aerial vehicles into a primary component of the campaign to destroy long-range targets.
High-altitude flight and engine performance
Geran kamikaze drones, also known as loitering munitions, are uncrewed aircraft designed to loiter above a target area before diving to deliver an explosive warhead. Standard Geran-2 models rely on piston-based internal combustion engines that provide high fuel efficiency for long-distance cruising. In contrast, jet-powered variants use small turbojet engines that sacrifice some overall range in exchange for higher speed and altitude performance.
Lower-level air defence networks in conflict zones often consist of short-range anti-aircraft guns, mobile firing groups, and man-portable surface-to-air missile systems. Operating at higher altitudes allows jet-powered drones to fly above the maximum ceiling of these point-defence weapons, which are primarily deployed to intercept slower, low-flying targets.
Artificial intelligence algorithms and swarm attacks
The TWZ report follows earlier assessments of Russian drone tactics published by Russian defence media. In July, Russian military journal Voennaya Mysl reported that groups of Geran drones equipped with artificial intelligence algorithms managed to overload Ukrainian air defences by 400 percent during special military operation strikes.
Voennaya Mysl is a long-running theoretical publication issued by Russia's Ministry of Defence, covering strategic doctrine and technical military developments. Artificial intelligence algorithms enable uncrewed aerial vehicles to process flight data, coordinate group manoeuvres, and execute saturated strikes that overload air defence radars and exhaust stocks of surface-to-air missiles.
