Ukraine finds new Iranian-made drone with AI targeting

Defence affairs

Ukrainian defense officials have identified remnants of a newly upgraded Shahed-136 strike drone following a Russian overnight attack, revealing what appears to be an enhanced Iranian-manufactured loitering munition equipped with thermal targeting and modern navigation features.

According to Ukrainian sources, the recovered wreckage shows the use of a new variant of the Iranian Shahed-136 series—designated “MS”—that includes a 4-antenna CRPA (Controlled Radiation Pattern Antenna) satellite navigation system and an integrated thermal imaging targeting module.

This version of the drone also features a visible camera paired with an Nvidia Jetson module to enable onboard visual recognition and target acquisition.

The drone’s main engine, warhead, and other core components remain consistent with previous Shahed models widely used by Russian forces in attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure and defense positions. However, the new guidance configuration suggests a shift in Iranian design priorities toward autonomous precision capabilities in the terminal phase of flight.

The integration of machine vision technology into the Shahed series allows the drone to identify and guide itself toward heat signatures or specific shapes on the battlefield, reducing its dependence on GPS signals alone. The presence of CRPA antennas further improves resilience against jamming, a known limitation of earlier models.

The Shahed-136 MS variant appears to be an evolution of Iran’s long-range suicide drone family, which has become a mainstay in Russia’s air campaign against Ukraine. The new model’s ability to navigate more effectively in contested electromagnetic environments and hit targets with greater accuracy raises concerns about its potential battlefield impact.

Military experts in Kyiv assess that Iran may be supplying Russia with ready-to-use upgraded drones in exchange for advanced Russian weapons systems as Tehran faces its own heightened regional conflict pressures, particularly amid rising tensions with Israel.

The timing of the transfer remains unclear, but Ukrainian intelligence believes the drones may have been delivered recently and deployed operationally without prior testing inside Russian territory.

This is the first confirmed instance of the thermal targeting Shahed-136 being used in combat. Footage from the impact site and photos of the debris suggest that the drone was intended for high-value or well-defended targets, where conventional guidance would be less reliable under electronic warfare conditions.