Russia Begins Equipping drone/” title=”HESA Shahed 136: A cheap and deadly Iranian kamikaze drone”>Shahed-136 Drones with AI to Circumvent Air Defense Systems
In a significant development, Russia has initiated the process of equipping some of its long-range kamikaze drones, namely the Shahed-136 ("shahed"), with artificial intelligence (AI). This move, reported by Defense Express, could potentially enhance the drones’ capability to bypass air defense systems and engage targets even in the presence of electronic warfare (EW) interference.
Citing publications in Western media outlets, Defense Express detailed that Russia is exploring the integration of AI to create swarms of drones that can coordinate their attacks and overcome air defense systems. According to The Guardian, quoting unnamed Ukrainian military sources, Russia is working towards this end. Meanwhile, Politico, citing Ukrainian representative to the European Union, Volodymyr Chystiak, noted that Russia is using AI in the Shahed drones to navigate through Ukrainian EW means autonomously and target objects that resemble power plants.
Analysts suggest that while these AI applications seem varied in purpose, they are quite achievable using current technologies. The capability of Shahed drones to recognize and target specific objects, such as power stations, is essentially a form of machine vision. Experts point out that the plan to equip these drones with cameras was revealed as early as January 2024 due to a major leak of secret documentation.
"Ultimately, the emergence of similar solutions on Shahed drones is quite predictable," said experts. "In essence, we’re witnessing another turn in the technological race, and we can be confident that Ukraine will find appropriate countermeasures."
Russian UAVs in the Ukraine War
As previously reported by UNIAN, Russia continues to refine its drones during the war in Ukraine. According to the founder of the strike drone manufacturer "First Contact", Valery Borovik, the "Orlan" drones have been fitted with systems that allow them to switch between different types of communication and satellite groups.
Borovik also underscored that Ukraine possesses numerous means to counter Russian drones.
