Russia’s Geran drones get jet power for harder-to-stop strikes

Russia has developed an upgraded version of its Geran long-range attack drone, designated the Geran-5, which features a significant enhancement: a Telefly JT80 turbojet engine. This jet propulsion increases the drone’s speed and range, making it harder to intercept compared to earlier propeller-driven models like the Geran-3. The Geran-5 measures about 6 meters in length with a wingspan of up to 5.5 meters and weighs around 200 pounds. Its aerodynamic design has shifted from the delta wing and blended wing-body layout of previous Iranian Shahed-136-based models to a more conventional tube-like fuselage with straight wings and tail, resembling the Iranian Karrar drone. This redesign, combined with jet propulsion, boosts its operational range to an estimated 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) and enhances survivability against Ukrainian air defenses. The Geran-5 incorporates a mix of Iranian design elements and Russian modifications, including a 12-channel Kometa satellite