Ukrainian Intelligence Releases Detailed Analysis of Russian Geran-3 Jet-Powered UAV (Series U)

The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine has published a detailed analysis of the design and components of the Russian Geran-3 jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicle of the “U” series.

The data was released as part of the Means of Destruction series on the War&Sanctions platform.

This UAV is a localized analogue of the Iranian Shahed-238, the component base of which was previously studied and published in June 2024.

The drone is equipped with a Chinese Telefly JT80 turbojet engine, providing a flight speed of 300 to 370 km/h. Its operational range is up to 1,000 kilometers.

The Geran-3 UAV typically reaches its maximum speed within zones covered by Ukrainian air defense and electronic warfare systems, as well as during the terminal phase of flight, while descending toward the target.

The electronic configuration of the Geran-3 (U series) is nearly identical to the gasoline-powered versions of the Geran-2 (Y series).

It includes an inertial navigation system (SADRA), an air data computer (ADC), a power distribution unit (PDU), and other modules.

The Geran-3 is equipped with a Kometa-M12 jamming-resistant satellite navigation system featuring a 12-element adaptive antenna array (CRPA), enabling it to resist electronic warfare countermeasures.

Ukrainian intelligence has identified 45 foreign-made components in the drone’s construction. Half of them are of American origin, eight are Chinese, seven are Swiss, three are German, two are British, and one is Japanese.

Additionally, the Geran-3 carries a camera and video transmission system identical to those used in the Geran-2 (Y series).

On September 3, it was reported that Russia started using a new modification of the Geran-2 (Shahed-136) kamikaze drone, designated the “Ъ” series, which is equipped with an onboard camera.

According to available information, the camera in this version is not integrated into the nose cone, as seen in models of other series, but is instead mounted underneath the front part of the fuselage on a gyrostabilized gimbal.