The upgrade makes the drones more difficult to counter with
electronic warfare (EW), as more jamming sources are now needed to disrupt
their navigation signals, said Serhii Beskrestnov, a presidential adviser on
defense technology.
Shahed drones can locate their targets in two ways: through
operator control via a mesh modem or by using satellite-navigation signals,
including GPS.
To disrupt satellite-guided navigation, Ukrainian forces jam
the relevant frequencies with EW systems. In response, Russia is installing
special controlled reception pattern antennas (CRPA) on the drones to reduce
the impact of such interference.
Beskrestnov explained that the number of antenna elements
determines how many jamming sources the antenna can suppress.
“Previously, we theoretically needed 16 EW sources
surrounding a Shahed at all times; now, we need twice as many,” he said.
According to the expert, this creates additional challenges
for Ukraine’s EW system because it is easier for Russia to increase the number
of antenna elements than for Ukraine to expand the number of electronic jamming
sites.
Mesh networks have become a major challenge for Ukraine’s
defense forces. Russia uses them to improve communications with attack drones,
extend their control range and guide the drones more accurately, including
jet-powered models.
Russia likely also has ground-based relays in Belarus,
Transnistria, and temporarily occupied parts of Ukraine. This leaves much of
Ukrainian territory vulnerable to networked drones that are resistant to EW
systems.