Breaking News
Russia Reportedly Uses Shahed Drones Equipped with Thermobaric Warheads to Strike Targets in Ukraine.
Since April 2024, Russia has reportedly increased its use of Shahed-136 drones, which are now allegedly equipped with TB BCh-50 thermobaric warheads to strike various targets in Ukraine, according to Ukrainian officials. Designed for maximum impact in confined spaces, these thermobaric charges represent a significant threat to Ukrainian military positions. Their effectiveness in enclosed areas makes them particularly strategic against fortified military infrastructures, including buildings and fortified shelters.
Thermobaric munitions are highly effective in confined spaces, as the explosive "cloud" can penetrate multiple compartments or shelters, causing severe destruction to troops within buildings or bunkers (Picture source: Ukrainian MoD)
The Shahed-136, originally an Iranian loitering munition, is also known as a suicide or kamikaze drone. It was developed and manufactured by Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (HESA) and introduced in 2021. With a range estimated between 1,000 and 2,500 km, the drone features a delta-wing design with stabilizing rudders and is powered by a MADO MD-550 piston engine—an Iranian replica of the German Limbach L550E. Located at the rear of the fuselage, this 50-horsepower engine drives a two-blade pusher propeller. Measuring 3.5 meters in length with a wingspan of 2.5 meters and a weight of approximately 200 kg, the Shahed-136 is equipped with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead weighing between 30 and 50 kg, alongside optical systems for precision targeting. Navigation is achieved through an inertial system coupled with a commercial-grade GPS.
This drone can be deployed in salvos from a truck, enabling swarm attacks where multiple drones are launched simultaneously and coordinated for various missions, such as reconnaissance or targeted strikes. Additionally, it functions as a long-range loitering munition, capable of autonomous operation with pre-programmed instructions, or receiving updated coordinates via a GNSS system within a radius of about 150 km. The Iranian armed forces use the Shahed-136 in three versions: anti-personnel and anti-armor, anti-fortification, and radar seeker models.
In 2022, Russia began deploying the Shahed-136, rebranded as the Geran-2, in the context of the Ukraine conflict. According to reports from the Ukrainian government in October 2022, Russia ordered 2,400 of these drones from Iran. Production adjustments in Russia have further simplified these drones, reducing costs and increasing production volumes. These modifications, which include the removal of the starter and flywheel from the MD-550 engine, aim to streamline local manufacturing and bolster Russia’s operational capabilities in Ukraine.
The characteristics of the TB BCh-50 thermobaric warhead became public following a hack of servers at the Alabuga plant in Tatarstan, where these drones are assembled and upgraded. Weighing 52.4 kg, the TB BCh-50 combines a high-intensity thermobaric effect with fragmentation, containing 2,306 shrapnel elements in the form of 9 mm steel balls to enhance the blast impact on military positions.
This advanced thermobaric munition operates with a single-stage mechanism, unlike previous models that utilized a two-step process, dispersing an explosive mixture in the air before detonation. With the TB BCh-50, the initial detonation creates a shock wave that propels the thermobaric mix, which reacts with the air to produce a “fire cloud” reaching temperatures between 2,400 and 2,600°C. This cloud spreads quickly, generating a powerful shock wave capable of inflicting severe injuries on personnel within the impact zone, affecting internal organs such as the lungs and eardrums.
Thermobaric munitions are particularly effective in enclosed environments, where the "cloud" can spread through multiple compartments or shelters, making them especially destructive against troops in buildings or bunkers. Russia has thus equipped Shahed drones with the TB BCh-50 to increase their destructive capability against fortified military positions.
Parallel to the integration of this thermobaric warhead, Shahed-136 drones have been optimized for large-scale production through design simplifications. Analyses of downed Shahed-136 drones reveal modifications to reduce costs: the MD-550 engine, for instance, no longer includes a starter or flywheel, further lowering production expenses. This engine, based on the German Limbach L550E, is now supplied in a stripped-down configuration, allowing for lower unit costs and higher production volume.
In addition to engine adjustments, other elements of the original Iranian design have been simplified to expedite production cycles. Adaptations at the Alabuga industrial facility include changes to airframe materials, structural modifications, and the replacement of electronic components and warheads. While initial estimates pegged the cost of each Shahed-136 between $40,000 and $50,000, mass production has shown this cost to be closer to $193,000, prompting further cost-reduction measures.
These efforts to simplify and accelerate production appear successful, as Shahed-136 drone output in Russia has markedly increased. By September 2024, the Alabuga facility met its annual production goal of 6,000 drones, and Western analysts predict that peak production may reach between 600 and 800 units per month. However, this pace still relies heavily on component availability, particularly from Chinese suppliers.
The use of Shahed-136 drones equipped with TB BCh-50 thermobaric warheads by Russia in Ukraine could heighten hostilities, amplifying the lethality of air strikes. Thermobaric munitions, known for their capacity to produce high-temperature explosions and extended shock waves, are particularly effective against fortified infrastructure and entrenched positions. This tactic may weaken Ukrainian defenses, complicate military operations, and potentially shift the strategic balance on the ground. Furthermore, the use of such weaponry could raise international concerns regarding the escalation of the conflict and the deployment of high-destructive-potential arms.