Russia begins using upgraded Gerbera-2 drone with 1,200 km range and 25 kg warhead, Ukrainian intelligence says

In brief

• Ukraine's HUR says Russia has started using an enlarged Gerbera-2 drone with a 1,200 km range and a warhead of up to 25 kg.
• The agency published a 3D model and component details of the drone on the War&Sanctions portal.
• Business Insider Polska reports that the HUR links the Gerbera-2 to a Gerbera-type drone found on the Polish Baltic coast in mid-September.

Origins and upgrades

Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) of the Defense Ministry says the Gerbera drones were first built as decoys meant to overload Ukrainian air defenses. Early variants were reconnaissance and kamikaze models that remained simple and cheap, according to the agency (Intelligence reveals details of Russian Gerbera-2 drone with range of up to 1,200 km – Ukrinform) (РФ почала бити по Україні новою "Герберою": в ГУР розкрили, що вміє цей дрон – UNIAN) (Загрожує не лише Україні: у ГУР розкрили подробиці про новий російський дрон «Гербера-2» – TSN) (РФ почала застосовувати нову версію "Гербери" з підвищеною дальністю та бойовою частиною 25 кг – Espreso).

Over time, the HUR says, the onboard equipment began to resemble that of far more expensive Geran drones. Newer examples carry Kometa navigation modules, mesh modems and costly gimbal-mounted cameras.

The enlarged Gerbera-2

The HUR says Russia recently began using a larger version. It has a wingspan of 3 m and a fuselage length of 2.6 m. A new 63-liter fuel tank allows it to cover up to 1,200 km. The tank is divided into sections to keep the aircraft stable during maneuvers.

The drone's powerplant is a small two-cylinder two-stroke motor. The agency notes that it is essentially half the size of the unit fitted to the Geran-2, a type now assembled locally at Alabuga.

Warhead and electronics

The examined aircraft carried a 10 kg fragmentation-incendiary warhead, OFZBCh-10, together with separate bags of incendiary mixture. According to the agency's stated figures, the drone can carry a warhead of up to 25 kg.

The electronics include an updated flight controller, a 12-channel Kometa receiver, a mesh modem produced by Shenzhen Sinosun Technology in China, and a new video processing unit built on Chinese components.

Where it was found

A Gerbera-type drone carrying a warhead was found on the Polish Baltic coast in mid-September. Business Insider Polska reports that the HUR links the newly described Gerbera-2 to that find (Ukraiński wywiad ujawnia nową wersję rosyjskiej broni. To dron, który znaleziono w Polsce – Business Insider Polska).

Access and sanctions data

No data on access or sanctions appears in the source material.