Modernized Shilkas from Come Back Alive Foundation Destroy their First Shaheds

The ZSU-23-4 Shilka anti-aircraft guns modernized by the Come Back Alive Foundation are already successfully destroying Russian kamikaze drones.

The CEO of the charity fund, Taras Chmut, said that the first shootdowns of Shahed drones have been recorded.

This week, the foundation reported on the completion of a year-and-a-half project to deeply modernize 16 Shilka self-propelled guns to the level of the ZSU-23-4M1-A1 Rokach.

This is a comprehensive upgrade of Soviet systems, which included the replacement of the radar station – the ‘eyes’ of the system, the installation of a new digital ballistic computer, and a number of other technical improvements.

The cost of modernizing 16 combat vehicles amounted to UAH 400 million.

“On the one hand, this is a lot. On the other hand, if you look at the cost of similar systems on world markets, the amount no longer seems so significant,” Chmut said.

It took Ukrainian defense companies a year to modernize all 16 anti-aircraft systems.

“These machines are already serving in the National Guard units that protect critical infrastructure. And in recent months, the first shootdowns of Shaheds have been recorded,” added the director of the foundation.

Modernization of Shilka

As part of the project, outdated radar stations were replaced with modern multifunctional systems capable of operating effectively in an intense air environment.

The analog fire control system was replaced with a digital one, and a navigation system, converters, and auxiliary equipment were integrated.

As a result of the upgrade, the target processing time was reduced from 18 to 0.2 seconds, and the maximum detection range more than doubled. The updated Shilka is capable of simultaneously tracking up to 20 air targets.

Back in 2020, the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine ordered the modernization of the Shilka systems in the ZSU-23-4M-A1 version. This option provides for the installation of a new multifunctional radar station Rokach-AS instead of the regular radar, as well as the replacement of a specialized analog computer system with a modern digital one.