Latest SHARK-M will be able to conduct reconnaissance to a distance of 180 km

Ukrspecsystems has unveiled a new version of the SHARK-M UAV, which has received a number of improvements to ensure an advantage on the battlefield.

The company’s representatives exclusively discussed the details of the new development with Militarnyi.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of reconnaissance UAVs of the Shark series has presented a new model that has a record flight distance of up to 420 km and an extended flight duration of up to 7 hours.

The designers managed to achieve such parameters by integrating new batteries with 170% higher capacity. Thanks to the modernization of the radio modem and antenna equipment, the maximum communication radius has more than doubled to 180 km.

The longer range will allow the crews to operate beyond the reach of enemy weapons, and new hardware and software solutions ensure stable operation even in the face of GNSS disruption, GPS spoofing, or attempts to intercept control signals.

The developers shared with Militarnyi that the new SHARK-M is now capable of performing the tasks of older systems such as PD-2.

“It performs the same functions as PD-2, ACS-3 from Ukrainian Skyeton, Latvian Penguin, or Portuguese AR3 Tekever. And if PD-2 is a universal platform, SHARK-M was created as an advanced reconnaissance vehicle, and it is the reconnaissance efficiency that we sought to maximize. It provides both reconnaissance and tracking of targets for further correction (both artillery and attack drones), as well as objective damage control and constant monitoring of designated areas.

Another important point: despite the fact that this is a new product with new parameters, there will be no need to retrain the crews: the entire infrastructure and software remain the same, so the Shark-D crews will easily switch to SHARK-M.

To summarize, our main goal was to give a smaller UAV the capabilities of a high school student, increasing its efficiency and survivability. For the same money, which is enough for only one higher-class system, you get three times the number of UAVs,” the company representatives stated.

The cost of the system can vary significantly depending on the configuration. Specific figures are not disclosed, but the cost of the aircraft itself has increased by about 20%.

“It’s important to understand that ground equipment is reusable and has been used for years, while drones are consumables. Consumables should remain as affordable as possible. This is the logic of wartime, and it is our logic today.”

Combining reconnaissance and destruction

Ukrspecsystems has created a comprehensive solution in which one unit will have the entire range of unmanned systems and will be able to independently perform both reconnaissance and strike missions.

“The battlefield is constantly changing, and, unfortunately, effective intelligence does not always lead to concrete results. The reasons are delays in coordination between units, lack of a strike component in reconnaissance, and a reconnaissance component in strike units,” the source stated.

Using SHARK-M as an example, this work can be described as follows:

1. We launch a reconnaissance aircraft that is constantly in the air. The sides can be changed in the air without interrupting the observation of the target.
2. As soon as the target is located, operators launch the strike drone.
3. The SHARK-M guides the target and serves as a signal repeater for precise targeting of the striker (to overcome line-of-sight limitations).
4. As soon as the striker sees the target, SHARK-M controls the execution of the hit (its flight time is sufficient for all these manipulations).
5. After hitting the target, you get two sources of control – from the striker’s camera and from the SHARK-M camera.
6. Then, operators can generate a mission report with all the detailed points, descriptions, and results (even before the SHARK-M lands) in a couple of clicks.

Company representatives stated that this system is already operating on the battlefield, demonstrating the first results in 2024. However, details about the strike component are kept secret.

Updated Shark-M control center

The new remote piloting station has become universal: any system from Ukrspecsystems can now be controlled from one point. The crew will have several systems at their disposal and be able to choose the one that best meets the task’s requirements.

To improve safety, the system received a remote control terminal. This miniature remote piloting station allows the aircraft to take off and land safely away from the main base.

The system’s RPD also supports continuous operation in a “carousel” format, ensuring a smooth transition between the sides during missions. When the battery on one side is low, the operator can launch the other side without interrupting reconnaissance.

The control room itself can be integrated on the chassis of a 4×4 four-wheel drive van, equipped with a full workspace for the team and storage for all equipment.