Russia produces new Harpy-A1 attack drone with Chinese engine - Reuters
Kyiv • UNN
Russia has started production of a new Harpy-A1 attack drone with a Chinese engine. According to Reuters, more than 2,500 units have already been manufactured.
Russia has begun production of a new long-range strike drone, the Garpiya-A1, using Chinese engines and components that are already involved in the war in Ukraine. This is reported by European intelligence sources and documents provided by Reuters, UNN writes.
Last year, Russia began production of a new long-range strike drone, the Garpiya-A1, using Chinese engines and parts. This information is confirmed by Reuters sources.
According to intelligence, which includes production contracts and financial documents, IEMZ Kupol, a subsidiary of Russian state arms manufacturer Almaz-Antey, produced more than 2,500 Harpy drones between July 2023 and July 2024.
This new Russian drone, which uses Chinese technology, has not been known until now. IEMZ Kupol and Almaz-Antey did not comment on this information.
Sources said that the Harpy has already been used against military and civilian targets in Ukraine, damaging critical infrastructure and causing civilian and military casualties.
China's Foreign Ministry told Reuters that Beijing strictly controls the export of goods with potential military applications, including drones.
"Regarding the Ukrainian crisis, China has always been committed to promoting peace talks and a political settlement," the statement said.
Beijing added that there were no international restrictions on China's trade with Russia.
"The Garpiya-A1 is very similar to the Shahed, but has several distinctive features, including a unique bolt-on fin and Limbach L-550 E engines," the European agency said in a statement to Reuters.
The engine, originally developed by a German company, is now manufactured by the Chinese company Xiamen Limbach.
Reuters also reviewed a contract worth more than 1 billion rubles (approximately 10 million euros) signed in the first quarter of 2023 between the Russian Ministry of Defense and Kupol to build a drone manufacturing plant.
According to intelligence sources, the former cement plant in Izhevsk, Udmurtia, which was acquired by the Kupol in 2020, is now being used to manufacture drones.
The Garpiya prototype was launched in the first half of 2023, company communications showed. Production reached several hundred in the second half of 2023 and more than doubled to about 2,000 in the first half of 2024, the agency said.
The takeoff weight of the UAV is less than 300 kilograms and the maximum range is 1500 kilometers, which is similar to the characteristics of the Shaheeds.
Recall
Director of the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise Oleksandr Ruvin toldhow the Russians are trying to improve their attack and reconnaissance drones.
"Recently, we have repeatedly recorded various attempts by Russians to use additional, say, atypical elements in reconnaissance and attack drones, such as various flash drives, additional cameras or SIM cards. They are not traced in all new research objects, but are obviously tested in individual copies for a specific purpose," said Oleksandr Ruvin.
He also confirmed information that the enemy has begun using new drones, which are likely designed to track air defense systems and gather information.
