Russia upgrades Shahed navigation to blunt Ukrainian electronic warfare

Beskrestnov said Russia upgraded the inertial navigation systems on its attack drones several weeks ago. He noted that not all jet-powered Shahed drones attacking Kyiv use online control. Some use satellite navigation alongside conventional inertial guidance systems.

Beskrestnov also said Shahed drones could be equipped with 20-element CRPA antennas instead of 16-element versions as early as this month. He said Russia’s VNIIR Progress plans to begin producing 24-element antennas in 2027.

Flash said Russia is systematically upgrading Shahed drones across multiple areas. He assessed that the changes could also affect the use of Russia’s Banderol and Dan-T cruise missiles, which lack online control and use satellite and inertial navigation.

The expert said electronic warfare remains one possible way to counter such missiles.

In June, Beskrestnov said Russian businesses were purchasing components to produce another 300–400 Volna Kupol Garant electronic warfare systems designed to disrupt Starlink satellite communications. He said the systems are manufactured in temporarily occupied Sevastopol.