Russia’s Molniya and Phoenix drones are manufactured using components made in China and some Western countries, including the United States, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Taiwan, according to the Main Intelligence Directorate.
“Molniya“
It is an airplane-type strike unmanned aerial vehicle that is launched by a catapult and controlled by an operator like an FPV drone. Characteristics:
- Flight range: up to 40 km.
- Warhead: up to 5 kg (10 times less than the Shahed).
Russia has been using Molniya drones both to hit military targets and to terrorize civilians. In November this year, such a drone attacked a high-rise building and a shopping center in Kharkiv, injuring several people.
The device has a simple design with cheap components, mostly of Chinese origin:
- Electric motors, controllers, cameras: FATJAY, SpeedyBee, Caddx, Huayi Microelectronics, Trex Technologies.
- The key elements are microcontrollers from the Swiss company STMicroelectronics, converters from Vishay, and capacitors from Rubycon.
“Phoenix“
A reconnaissance UAV created by the Russian TAIP LLC as a continuation of the Orlan-10 model.
- Components: Components labeled by manufacturers from the USA, Switzerland, China, the Netherlands, and Taiwan.
- Features: Most of the parts are from STMicroelectronics (7 components).
Earlier, it was reported that Russian UAVs, such as the S-70 Okhotnik, Parodya, and Gerbera, also contain similar Western components, despite the sanctions.
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