The base Shahed-136/Geran-2 is a propeller-driven OWA drone with a range up to 1,500 km and a payload of about 40 kg. Two recent developments change the threat picture:
- Geran-4 (jet-powered) — 350–500 km/h instead of ~180 km/h, sharply shortening the defender's reaction time.
- R-60 armament — some Shahed/Geran drones carry an infrared-guided air-to-air missile (range 7–8 km), specifically aimed at helicopters and slow aircraft that intercept drones.
Note
The R-60 variant reverses the roles: a system originally an attack weapon against static targets now becomes a threat to the very aircraft meant to intercept it — particularly slow, low-manoeuvre platforms.
See also Chapter 5.2 for concrete cases where FPVs and armed drones have hit aircraft in flight.