Inspectors found 93 foreign electronic components inside the downed K5-K drone
Ukrainian defence intelligence has examined a new modification of the Russian Geran-5 drone designated as K5-K. According to experts, the vehicle's aerodynamic design and performance characteristics match those of a small cruise missile. Nearly one hundred foreign-made electronic components were discovered inside its assembly. This is reported by the portal PromPolitInform, citing the Telegram channel of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.
Ukrainian experts managed to study an intact sample of the adversary’s latest drone that landed in a field. The Russian military began deploying this modification more frequently for air strikes on Ukrainian cities in early autumn 2024.
Structural analysis showed that the K5-K model retains the standard aerodynamic scheme of previous versions while featuring smaller dimensions. The drone measures 4 metres in length compared to the original 6.5 metres, with a wingspan reduced from 3.2 to 3 metres. It is powered by a TRD-200 turbojet engine assembled in Alabuga using Chinese components.
Flight characteristics and top speed
Airframe modifications enabled a noticeable boost in altitude and speed performance. The maximum flight ceiling increased to 6 kilometres, while cruising speed now exceeds 450 km/h. During specific manoeuvres, the K5-K can reach speeds of up to 1,000 km/h.
Meanwhile, the 90-kilogram warhead weight and maximum flight range of 1,000 kilometres remain identical to the base version. The examined specimen was fitted with a TBBCh-90 thermobaric warhead.
Optical navigation system and foreign parts
The drone’s navigation avionics are identical to those found in recent iterations of other jet-powered Geran series drones. Equipment includes a flight controller, a SADRA seeker inertial navigation system with a MOX module, a localized copy of the 16-element Harxon GI-006 antenna, a tracker, and a mesh modem.
For route adjustment, the drone uses a new optical-electronic correlation system named Susanin, which matches live camera images against a reference photo saved in microcomputer memory. Data processing is handled by a Coke Pi microcomputer in a plastic housing, a Chinese alternative to the Raspberry Pi. The inspected unit featured a dual-band camera.
In total, inspectors identified 93 foreign-made electronic components inside the K5-K. The largest share comes from US manufacturers with 52 parts, followed by China and Switzerland with 10 components each. Russian technicians attempt to erase markings from Texas Instruments digital signal processors and Murata inertial modules, indicating attempts to conceal supply channels under international sanctions.
Photo: Defence Intelligence of Ukraine
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