Russia upgrades attack drones with larger antennas to counter jamming
The new Kometa satellite-navigation modules use multiple antenna elements to protect drones from Ukrainian electronic warfare systems.
Russia is equipping its attack drones with larger anti-jamming antennas to counter electronic warfare systems used by Ukraine, according to a report by Defense News cited by the Times of India.
The upgraded Kometa satellite-navigation modules, developed by the Russian company VNIIR-Progress, use multiple antenna elements to identify and suppress electronic interference. This allows drones to maintain programmed flight paths even in areas covered by jamming.
Russia is currently using 16-element antenna arrays at scale and is preparing 20-element versions for serial production. Ukrainian electronic-warfare specialist Serhii Beskrestnov said Ukrainian forces have detected Shahed-type drones carrying larger 32-element arrays during attacks on Kyiv.
The modules use patch antennas arranged in an array to distinguish genuine satellite-navigation signals from interference. By identifying the direction of interference, the system can suppress unwanted signals while continuing to receive navigation data.
These upgrades come as Moscow increases the scale of Shahed-type drone attacks and introduces faster jet-powered variants like the Geran-3, Geran-4 and Geran-5. Some of these models can reach speeds of up to 600 kmph.
The increased speed of these drones reduces the time available for Ukrainian air-defence units to detect and intercept threats. Ukraine has been using electronic warfare and GPS spoofing to disrupt Russian drone navigation.
