Russia plans new navigation system for Shaheds, guided bombs
Russia plans to equip Shahed drones and guided aerial bombs with a new Ariadna navigation system, Serhii Beskrestnov (Flash), an adviser to the Ukrainian president on defense technology development, said on Sept. 19.
Ukrainian defense technology adviser Serhii Beskrestnov revealed Russia's plans to equip Shahed drones and KABs (guided aerial bombs) with the Ariadna navigation system. This system was first unveiled by the enemy in December 2025 and has been developed since. The system would enable drones and missiles to navigate up to 100 kilometers deep into Ukrainian territory, allowing for precise strikes on a large portion of the country.
The Ariadna system functions by receiving signals from three ground-based points and determining the drone's position based on signal delay, regardless of satellite reliance. Beskrestnov explained that Ukraine employs similar ground-based radio beacon navigation technology for reconnaissance drones, while Russia introduced the system on Zala drones in 2022.
Beskrestnov further suggested that the most promising method for drone navigation without satellites involves exploiting variations in Earth's magnetic field. Although the technology is not yet ready for widespread use, leading companies worldwide are actively working on its development.
Written by urgent.news from New Voice of Ukraine's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
