Daily digest, 30 September 2026

Priority 1. UAVs, counter-UAV, military AI and new technologies in conflicts

Ukraine and Russia: long-range strikes and their interception

update Geran-5 — ISW counted about 2730 jet drones in September, Ukraine approved the first interceptors against them

Jet-powered Gerans have become the main instrument of the Russian air campaign. Ukraine is moving from one-off experiments to serial orders of interceptors.

According to an ISW (Institute for the Study of War — an American think tank) estimate, in September Russia used about 2730 jet-powered Shaheds. More than 1500 were intercepted, i.e. about 55%. This means almost every second jet drone gets through the air defense system. Earlier estimates of about 3000 per month confirm this order of magnitude (source). Over the week, according to the same summary, Russia used more than 2200 long-range UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), about 1650 guided glide bombs and 38 missiles, mostly ballistic.

Zelensky said that the first prototypes of interceptors for jet-powered Gerans have been identified, as well as the timelines, volumes and financing of their production (source). In parallel, the Wild Hornets team showed a Geran-5 being hit by a drone of its own design. To move to serial production, test purchases and combat trials are being organized (source). Another means of interception is crewed aviation: a Ukrainian Mirage 2000 was recorded chasing a Geran-5 near Sarny; the outcome is unclear from the footage (source).

update Geran-4 "Seeker" and Geran-5 — the data center of drone maker Ukrspecsystems appeared on the list of hit data centers

The Russian campaign against Ukrainian data centers (DCs) continues. In a video with a new compilation of strikes, in addition to the telecom nodes of Kyivstar, Vodafone, Ukrtelecom, Omega and Dream Line, the data center of Ukrspecsystems — a UAV manufacturer — is marked (source). The Russian MoD claimed strikes on Bimobayl and Parkovy, as well as on a depot where FP-5 Flamingo missiles were allegedly stored (source).

The key detail is an admission from the Russian side. "Rybar" writes that Parkovy and Bimobayl have been hit more than once, but they continue to operate: there are many servers, and the digital infrastructure is decentralized (source). According to a Russian channel, equipment in Kyiv is being hastily moved underground and taken abroad (source).

update Rubikon — 1578 Ukrainian long-range drones shot down in September, the Maya decoy in second place

The Russian Rubikon center published video-confirmed interception statistics for the month (source). This is an indirect picture of the structure of Ukraine's deep strike.

• FP-2 — 799, more than half of all interceptions;

• Maya (decoy drone) — 526;

• B-2 — 47, Liutyi — 33, Anubis — 31, Chaklun-V — 28, R-15 — 23;

• E-300 Enterprise — 15, LORD — 18, Rubaka — 17.

The Ukrainian channel "Oko Gora" drew from this data a conclusion about the top 5 UAVs in use: FP-2, Maya, Hornet, Darts and Baton (source). The fact that a decoy is in second place shows the scale at which Russian air defense is being saturated with false targets. For comparison: from the beginning of the year to the end of September, 411 successful Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory were visually confirmed, i.e. about 1.5 targets per day; August was the record month with 70 attacks (source).

update FP-5 Flamingo — first confirmed shootdown by a Pantsir-S1 using an electro-optical system

A Ukrainian channel records the first confirmed case of a Pantsir-S1 gun-missile air defense system shooting down an FP-5 Flamingo while guided by its EOS (electro-optical system) (source). The Russian side showed the interception from an air defense tower near Moscow. It is claimed that this crew shot down five drones and three cruise missiles in one night (source).

The same Ukrainian channel admits: Flamingos fly often and production is more or less fine, but efficiency is low and "they are almost always shot down" (source).

update FP-7.x Freyja — the interceptor missile has gained a dual-mode seeker with IR and radar channels

Fire Point disclosed new parameters of the interceptor missile for the Freyja missile defense (BMD) system: length 7.25 m, diameter 530 mm, speed up to 2000 m/s (source). The main innovation is a seeker with IR (infrared) and radar channels; previously only IR was mentioned. At the first stage the missile will receive a fragmentation warhead and inertial guidance with radio correction, after which the developers plan to move to hit-to-kill. The first test interception is scheduled for July 2027.

The target price is less than €1 million per missile with production of up to 2000 units per year. The PAC-3 interceptor for Patriot costs more than $3 million, so this is an anti-ballistic weapon three times cheaper. The Russian author of the publication lists 13 Western partners of the project, among them Hensoldt TRML-4D radars and a Kongsberg command center.

Frontline robotics and counter-FPV

A Ukrainian amphibious UGV for the first time covered 40 km over land and water with cargo to the positions

A single ground platform covered the entire supply route, including a water obstacle, without transloading onto other vehicles. For logistics across rivers this is a new level.

The Alter Ego unit of the 93rd Brigade delivered ammunition and provisions on an amphibious UGV (unmanned ground vehicle). At the water obstacle the vehicle switched to floating mode within seconds (source). Developers and the military spent several months adapting the system to the terrain. According to Brave1 (Ukraine's state defense innovation cluster), this is the first such use, and the MoD plans to scale up the area (source).

The context is the rapid growth of robotic logistics. According to Ukraine's MoD, in August UGVs performed 25 143 logistics and evacuation missions versus 7511 in January, i.e. 3.3 times more (source).

The Mangal net launcher and forward-firing net launchers on UGVs — Ukrainian protection against FPVs

Ukraine's Phantom Defence has developed Mangal, a modular interceptor of FPV drones (first-person-view drones) with six net charges (source). Separately, AFU ground robots have received forward-firing net launchers: the net launcher is mounted under the anti-drone "mangal" — a lattice screen — and aimed at the vulnerable gap. In the video, the operator fires a net at a drone coming in head-on, and the net tangles its propellers (source).

The Russian side is already changing tactics in response to this. A Russian channel urges pilots: "No more head-on strikes, come in from the rear!" (source).

Syrskyi: Ukrainian APS shoot down 60–80% of FPV drones, which could bring armor back into the game

According to the commander-in-chief, drones are currently winning the contest between offense and defense. However, the latest Ukrainian APS (active protection systems for armored vehicles) have shown results: they shot down 60 to 80% of FPV drones (source). Syrskyi directly links the refinement of such systems to the return of armor and a higher tempo of offensives.

This is a signal, not background. If the figures are confirmed, the main factor of the current positional warfare — the cheap FPV against armor — will begin to weaken.

update Kuryer — a Russian UGV with a twin PKT stands duty in a mobile fire group and shot down a Hornet and a B-2

The upgraded Kuryer is used as a mobile air defense point within an MFG (mobile fire group). During its duty it hit a gasoline-powered UAV, a Hornet-type UAV and a new low-observable Ukrainian B-2 (source). The ground robot is becoming a carrier of close-in air defense, not just a transport.

Russian war correspondent: in the Lyman direction the Ukrainian side used heavy drones to drop UGVs with machine guns for ambushes

According to a Russian channel's description, Ukrainian units used heavy drones to deliver UGVs with remotely controlled machine guns onto the withdrawal routes of Russian units and set up small-arms ambushes (source). The author considers this one of the reasons for panic and prisoners. It also notes that the offensive proceeded in small mechanized columns, ahead of which remotely controlled mined APCs were sent.

Termos, aka Gusenitsa — a Russian modular warhead for strike drones made from plumbing pipe

Aleksei Chadaev ("Ushkuynik") described a modular warhead with a payload mass from 0.5 to 4 kg (source). Arming and initiation are fully mechanical: the safety pin is removed by a "smart home" actuator with a timer, and detonation on contact with the target at any angle is provided by a spring sensor. The option of detonation from the operator's controller is retained. Without a detonator and explosive the item is not dangerous and is transported by civilian vehicles.

The problem the warhead solves: a significant share of strike drone failures is due to makeshift warheads and initiation. Deliveries funded by subscribers already number in the thousands; the confirmed demand from the front is tens of thousands. The next step is official trials at the Russian MoD.

A multi-projectile assault rifle cartridge — Russian developers want to turn standard small arms into a counter-drone weapon

Potapov and the author of the "Russky Inzhener" channel, together with the Kalashnikov concern, are developing a multi-bullet cartridge for assault rifles and machine guns (source). According to the developer, at 100 m a stable cloud of projectiles 25–30 cm across is formed. The characteristics have been confirmed by tests at TsNIITochMash and in the combat zone (source). The author claims that the cartridge was ready back in February 2025, and adoption was delayed by licensing and bureaucracy.

Alongside — practical solutions from Russian repair crews. The repair company of the 70th Regiment of the 42nd Division assembled for an MFG an automated gunner's station with two machine guns and AI (artificial intelligence), using parts from a GAZelle and a bicycle, with power from FPV batteries (source).

Ukrainian paratroopers knock down Russian "waiters" with a drone carrying a hook on a rope

Operators of the Apachi unit of the 81st Brigade destroy Russian "waiter" drones that land near roads and wait for a target. In one episode, a "waiter" was yanked from a height by a drone with a suspended hook (source). It is a cheap answer to ambush tactics without expending ammunition.

Russia: new products and exports

Garpiya-A1(E) — Russia brings a long-range strike drone to export and is ready to localize its production

Almaz-Antey will for the first time show the export version at Vietnam Defence Show and Airshow China (source). Russia is starting to sell a class proven in Ukraine and is directly offering partners their own production.

Declared specifications: range up to 1000 km, CEP (circular error probable) up to 4 m, speed at least 170 km/h, warhead over 50 kg, takeoff weight 250 kg, flight time at least 6 hours, "flying wing" layout (source). According to the head of Rosoboronexport, localization in friendly countries is being considered (source). The assembly video shows a launcher similar to one developed by a Kharkiv resident whom the SBU detained in October 2024 for passing his work to the Russian side (source).

ZALA Z-61 — a Russian high-speed reconnaissance UAV for operating in dense air defense and controlling Lancets

Crews of the 61st Naval Infantry Brigade showed the new high-speed ZALA Z-61 UAV (source). It is intended for reconnaissance where ordinary reconnaissance UAVs get shot down, including by interceptor drones. The vehicle provides target coordinates and monitors strikes, and is fully compatible with the Lancet reconnaissance-strike loop. The troops separately noted the cameras, through which attempts by interceptor drones to shoot it down can be seen.

Supercam S180 — a Russian high-speed reconnaissance UAV that evades interceptors heads to the exhibition in Baku

The Unmanned Systems Group will for the first time show the newest version of the S180 at ADEX-2026 (source). The manufacturer is betting on speed and maneuverability against interceptor drones. The vehicle carries up to 5 kg of radio and video reconnaissance equipment.

The general trend for Russian reconnaissance UAVs is speed as protection. Z-61 and S180 appeared on the same day, and both are positioned against interceptors.

Europe and NATO

Harmattan AI Gobi — France ordered 1000 autonomous containerized interceptors

The American-French company showed the interceptor at the Falcon Peak 26.2 exercise in Arizona (source). The scheme is fully automatic: when a target is detected, the container opens, the drone launches and is guided by radar, and in the terminal phase it homes using IR and radar sensors and computer vision.

Parameters: speed up to 350 km/h, cruising 250 km/h, range 5–10 km, weight 2.2 kg, impact energy over 10 300 J (source). There is no warhead; kills are by direct hit. Sources differ on the target class: one indicates UAVs up to 600 kg, another up to 25 kg (source).

Germany: the first batch of Gereon UGVs for Ukraine left the new plant 12 weeks after launch

The ARX Robotics and DEUTZ joint venture in Ulm produced the first batch of robots 12 weeks after the launch was announced (source). Gereon carries up to 500 kg of payload (source).

Estonia officially accused Russian intelligence services of setting fire to the Milrem Robotics plant

The Estonian Internal Security Service (KAPO) classified the August fire at the Tallinn plant, which produces THeMIS UGVs for Ukraine, as sabotage commissioned by Russian intelligence services (source). Three suspects were detained in Latvia and handed over to Estonia. Production was not affected. The Kremlin called the accusations unfounded (source).

This is part of a wider picture. NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe Grynkewich speaks of increasingly "brazen" sabotage, including a drone with explosives at Leipzig airport (source). In France, an employee of a Dassault plant was detained after damage to Rafale fuselages (source). Robotics and UAV manufacturers are becoming targets on a par with arsenals.

Terra Drone bought half of the Ukrainian FPV interceptor maker Kurin Tekhnolohii

The Japanese company acquired 50% through its European structure Terra Defense Europe for about 560 million yen, roughly $3.5 million (source). The KT-1 and KT-2 interceptors reach more than 160 km/h and stay airborne for about 40 minutes. Asian capital is entering Ukrainian counter-drone companies directly.

Poland will allow shooting down airspace violators without mandatory visual identification

Poland is changing the procedure for destroying aerial objects violating the border from the Russian side: fire can be opened without mandatory visual identification (source). At the same time, the deputy defense minister stated that Poland will not shoot down Russian drones over Ukraine on its own — this is a NATO-level decision (source). Background: activity of jet-powered Gerans near the Yahodyn checkpoint has already triggered air raid alerts in Poland and the suspension of operations at Rzeszów and Lublin airports (source).

European maritime and reconnaissance platforms: STARK Vanta 12 and DeltaQuad Evo-LE

Germany's STARK presented the Vanta 12 unmanned surface vessel, designed for several weeks at sea with autonomous navigation and elements of AI (source).

The Dutch DeltaQuad showed the electric VTOL reconnaissance UAV Evo-LE: takeoff weight 13 kg, up to 8 hours and 480 km, radio link 120 km (source). Against jamming, a 4- or 8-element CRPA antenna (Controlled Reception Pattern Antenna — a phased antenna that suppresses GNSS jamming) and optional visual navigation without satellites are offered. Operation without GNSS (global navigation satellite systems) is becoming a standard option even for small reconnaissance UAVs.

USA

Drone Dominance Program, phase three — $450 million for 60 thousand strike drones tested without GNSS and communications

The American program for procuring cheap strike UAVs selects on production capacity and pays extra for delivery tempo (source). A total of $1.1 billion has been allocated for four phases; the goal is more than 200 thousand drones by 2027. After the first phase, 30 thousand were ordered; following the second, another 60 thousand are planned.

Progress is visible in range. In the first phase only 24% of vehicles reached 10 km, while at Gauntlet II all 11 platforms tested for range reached 15 km. The call for the third phase came out on September 28: about 60 thousand drones with an option for another 40 thousand, testing in urban and underground scenarios without access to GNSS and communications. In October, phase 2.5 will take place — 17 models of reusable drones dropping munitions. DIU (Defense Innovation Unit — the Pentagon's defense innovation unit) has opened a separate $100 million competition for cheap LC-ISR reconnaissance drones, with the prospect of up to another $250 million.

xTechHumanoid — the US Army selected five winners of the humanoid robot competition

The competition received 103 applications; nine finalists presented their solutions on September 9–10 at Quantico (source). Only the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition presented a full-fledged robot: Alex has impact-resistant actuators, ballistic protection and hybrid AI-human autonomy. The other four winners cover components: power supply (ACES Group), mobile generation (Hydroplane), finger tactile sensors (RAS Labs) and command and control software (Velocity Explorations).

This is the evaluation stage, not procurement. The author of a specialist channel interprets the logic this way: if humanoids are produced by the hundreds of thousands for civilian use, the army needs personnel to make use of this mass of hardware.

The US Navy in parallel set up a center at Little Creek for taking robotic and autonomous systems from prototype to combat use (source).

Middle East and Asia

ASELSAN SMASH 300 — a Turkish naval module with AI and programmable rounds against small drones

The module, weighing about 300 kg with a 30 mm gun, passed firing tests at Karapınar against single and group aerial targets (source). ATOM rounds detonate at a set distance, creating a cloud of fragments, while AI tracks and prioritizes targets. ASELSAN claims more than 560 deliveries to 18 countries.

Taiwan is choosing the same approach. The island's air force has allocated 5.71 billion Taiwan dollars for 2027–2031 for 35 mm AHEAD programmable rounds for Oerlikon GDF-006 anti-aircraft guns. The round detonates 40–60 m in front of the target and ejects 152 tungsten elements, so as not to waste missiles on cheap drones (source).

Yemen: 15 Chinese Wing Loong II and 7 Turkish Karayel shot down from the Saudi coalition

This tally is given by a specialist Russian channel (source). Riyadh, according to another Russian channel, supplies government forces with Chinese reconnaissance UAVs and loitering munitions through the company Wakeb, linked to Ziyan. The kingdom has also requested air defense systems and counter-UAV assets from the UK, France, the US, Pakistan and Turkey; Greece has deployed a Patriot battery in Saudi Arabia (source).

Taiwan showed military robot dogs for the first time

The development by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology exists in two variants: reconnaissance with LiDAR (laser rangefinder-scanner) and combat with firepower (source).

MARTAC will raise production of Devil Ray unmanned boats to 100 per year

The flagship T38, 12.2 m long and made of carbon fiber, carries up to 1814 kg and reaches more than 50 knots (source). The company forecasts a 700% increase in orders in 2026.

Military AI

Shturman — onboard AI trained on captured drones is being prepared for independent control

The developers of the fpvcovenant channel describe a module that is "implanted" into the aircraft, works with telemetry, parses logs and communicates with the flight controller like a live operator (source). Training is done on captured aircraft — enemy drones, firmware and communication systems. The next declared step is independent control. This is the team's claim; there is no independent confirmation.

update SPECTR — Ukraine's AI platform for predicting Russian troop actions is already being tested by frontline units

The A1 AI Center of Ukraine's MoD, created in March 2026 with UK support, is building an "operating system for waging war" (source). It identifies patterns in combat data, predicts the actions of the Russian side and offers commanders options. The platform runs locally in a secure loop and integrates with existing systems.

Priority 2. Military innovation

The US cements monopoly and tempo: F/A-XX goes to Boeing, record AMRAAM output

Boeing received a Navy contract worth more than $20 billion for full-scale development of the sixth-generation carrier-based F/A-XX fighter (source). The company becomes the sole American manufacturer of sixth-generation aircraft, since the Air Force's F-47 is also its own. Raytheon received a multi-year contract of up to $20.7 billion for the AIM-120 AMRAAM with a commitment to produce at least 1900 missiles per year (source). This matters directly for counter-drone defense: AMRAAM is the main NASAMS missile.

For the AIM-260 JATM, only a framework agreement with Lockheed Martin has been concluded, without volumes or a schedule (source). Honeywell has proposed a P40 upgrade that will raise the F-35's cooling capacity from 32 to 40 kW, i.e. by 25%, with deliveries from 2029–2030 (source). A leak from the Pentagon's DMDC personnel database affected the data of 2.76 million living and 294 thousand deceased people; access lasted from October 2025 to July 2026 (source).

Ukraine's defense industry: money, premises, going abroad

• Defence City residents will be able to lease state and municipal property without an auction (source).

• Danish-Ukrainian MITS Industries opened an R&D office in Denmark under the leadership of SIGINT (signals intelligence) manufacturer Infozahyst (source).

• DoD Solution raised $2.1 million in a seed round (source).

• L7 Simulators received NATO codification for its entire lineup of more than 50 types of simulators (source).

• Denmark purchased nine Dropla 4x4 UGVs for operator training (source).

• The PIDRYV electromagnetic mine trawl against mines with magnetic fuzes has been developed (source).

Separately — the Ukrainian AR simulator Viron (AR — augmented reality). The instructor builds a scenario as in a strategy game, the soldier gets vest vibration on a "hit", and a local AI generates a report after training (source).

Asia and Europe are preparing for a protracted war

From 2027 Japan will build 65 new arsenals, and by 2032 about 130 more (source). Taiwan will spend $868 million over six years to increase ammunition stocks from 30 to 120 days of combat (source). Germany intends to buy 16 new A400Ms with DIRCM infrared missile countermeasures to replace aircraft without this system (source). Latvia plans to acquire Anduril's Barracuda cruise missiles (source).

The US Marine Corps is moving to network convergence of communications

The MCCE (Marine Corps Converged Environment) concept envisages regional network and security operations centers. At the tactical level, the bet is on spectrum maneuver, secure 5G/LTE and automatic channel switching up to orbital ones (source).

Priority 3. The conflict around Ukraine: trends and signals

Signals:

• Lyman direction. The Ukrainian counteroffensive has produced the biggest local success in months. Russian channels themselves acknowledge false reports about villages taken and call this the "Lyman crisis" (source). Russian sources report a significant number of prisoners; the claimed 250 have not been independently confirmed. According to DeepState, in September Russia took an average of 2 km² per day versus 8.6 km² in September 2025 (source).

• The strategy of Russian pressure is shifting to strikes. ISW assesses that the Kremlin is betting on a massive winter campaign of long-range strikes against the backdrop of almost zero territorial gains (source). According to a Russian channel, of 19 missiles fired at Kyiv overnight only one was intercepted; according to preliminary information, CHP-5, CHP-6 and the Trypillia TPP were hit (source).

• Naval blockade. More than 70 vessels have accumulated near Sulina amid strikes by Russian UAVs and USVs (unmanned surface vessels) and the shallowing of the Danube (source). Ukraine's Ministry of Agrarian Policy estimates the export shortfall at about 30 million t (source).

• The airspace over Kapustin Yar is closed until October 3; the Oreshnik was launched from there (source).

• "Creeping mobilization". The authorized strength of the Russian Armed Forces has been increased by 15 500 people to 2 441 630 — the fifth such decree in a year; the increase since 2023 is about 400 thousand (source). Russia's military spending for 2027 is planned at about $202.6 billion.

• Ukraine's financial limit. The cost of the war in 2026 is estimated at $155 billion, of which $27 billion has no source. For 2027, $175 billion is needed, with about $100 billion budgeted (source).

• Ukraine is trying to move warehouses to Moldova. Moldova's prime minister reported a request from Kyiv to lease warehouse space (source).

Background: the crash of a Russian Tu-95MS in Amur Oblast, six dead (the Russian MoD calls it a training flight); the first three Belgian F-16s by the end of the year; a personnel audit of the AFU General Staff by Commander-in-Chief Drapatyi.

What to watch

1. The race between jet-powered Gerans and interceptors is reaching the serial level. About 2730 jet drones in September with 55% interception, the Ukrainian decision on serial interceptors and the French order for 1000 autonomous Gobis — this is one problem seen from two sides.
2. The robot on the ground is becoming a basic element of combat. 25 thousand UGV missions per month, the first 40 km amphibian, UGVs with net launchers and machine guns, the German Gereon in 12 weeks. Robots have also begun to play the role of mobile close-in air defense.
3. Counter-FPV is descending to the level of the vehicle and the soldier. Ukrainian APS shoot down 60–80% of FPVs, nets on UGVs have forced Russian pilots to change their approach, and Russia is preparing a multi-projectile cartridge. If the trend holds, armor may regain part of its role.
4. Operating without GNSS has become a mandatory requirement. The US DDP tests drones without satellites and communications, European reconnaissance UAVs get visual navigation and CRPA, and a Russian cargo hexacopter is being designed for complete independence from GNSS.
5. Strikes on digital and industrial infrastructure are the common denominator of the war. Russia strikes data centers, including a drone manufacturer's data center, while in Europe the Milrem and Dassault plants are attacked. The Russian side itself admits that decentralized IT infrastructure withstands strikes better than expected.

What's new in UAVs and counter-UAV

• Harmattan AI Gobi (USA/France) — autonomous containerized interceptor; 350 km/h; 2.2 kg; no warhead; French order for 1000 units.

• Wild Hornets interceptor — shot down a Geran-5; test purchases are underway.

• Amphibious UGV of the 93rd Brigade (Ukraine) — first 40 km over land and water with cargo.

• Mangal by Phantom Defence (Ukraine) — modular FPV interceptor with six net charges.

• Armor APS (Ukraine) — according to Syrskyi, 60–80% of FPVs shot down.

• Kuryer UGV (Russia) — twin PKT, Hornet and B-2 shot down.

• Termos/Gusenitsa (Russia) — 0.5–4 kg modular warhead with mechanical arming; deliveries in the thousands.

• Multi-projectile cartridge (Russia) — 25–30 cm cloud at 100 m.

• ZALA Z-61 (Russia) — high-speed reconnaissance UAV for the Lancet loop.

• Supercam S180 (Russia) — high-speed reconnaissance UAV with up to 5 kg payload, debut at ADEX-2026.

• Garpiya-A1(E) (Russia) — export, 1000 km, warhead over 50 kg, localization with partners.

• Gereon (Germany) — UGV with a 500 kg payload, first batch for Ukraine.

• DeltaQuad Evo-LE (Netherlands) — 8 h, 480 km, CRPA and visual navigation.

• STARK Vanta 12 (Germany) — autonomous USV for weeks at sea.

• ASELSAN SMASH 300 (Turkey) — 30 mm module with AI and ATOM programmable rounds.

• AHEAD for GDF-006 (Taiwan) — 5.71 billion Taiwan dollars for programmable 35 mm rounds against drones.

• NCSIST robot dogs (Taiwan) — reconnaissance and combat variants.

Military space and space-based data

Satellite communications for UAVs without US export restrictions. Insitu (Boeing) and Gogo have completed integration of the Galileo HDX antenna on the Integrator UAV of the Group 3 class (roughly 25–600 kg in the US classification) (source). The SATCOM (satellite communications) link goes through the OneWeb (Eutelsat) low-orbit constellation and is not subject to ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations — US arms export rules).

Refueling a navigation satellite in high orbit. Chinese researchers claim that in February 2025 the servicing satellite Shijian-25 transferred about 142 kg of fuel to the BeiDou-2 G7 satellite, which could extend its operation by about eight years (source). The military significance is a larger reserve for maneuvers and threat evasion for navigation and reconnaissance satellites.

GNSS jamming in Europe. After a BBC report that the UK Royal Air Force has been jamming other countries' satellites for a year, a GPSJAM map has been circulating (source). Red zones: the Gulf of Finland, the Baltics and the Kaliningrad area, Moldova and the Romanian coast, northern Turkey, the Caucasus, the Eastern Mediterranean.

Navigation components. The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) awarded Honeywell a $25.6 million contract to refine a radiation-hardened compact strategic gyroscope for the SPARROW inertial unit (source).

Space reconnaissance as a tool of public politics. Chinese space reconnaissance assets confirmed that the US Typhon system remains at Kanoya air base, and construction continues nearby (source). Satellite images of Dyagilevo show tents, mock-ups and painted silhouettes of Tu-95MS and Il-78 at the Russian air base, although a significant portion of the aircraft covered this way are in storage or decommissioned (source).

Regulation. The EU updated Decision 2021/698 and introduced a separate "toolbox" for responding to space threats — from cyberattacks on suppliers to threatening maneuvers in orbit and ASAT (anti-satellite weapon) tests (source).

Data access. John Wiseman's GPSJAM shows interference based on ADS-B data (automatic dependent surveillance — position signals transmitted by aircraft), making it a free OSINT detector (OSINT — open-source intelligence) of EW (electronic warfare) zones. The tool has blind spots: Ukraine is empty due to the absence of civilian flights, and Russia due to the near-total absence of receivers (source). Google Earth has updated imagery of the Gaza Strip, making an assessment of destruction over almost three years of war publicly available (source).

Under the radar

• [TECH] A Russian cargo hexacopter for 12 kg and 15 km without GNSS — a full engineering calculation. Navigation is built on a tactical INS (inertial navigation system) and five radio beacons along the route every 3–5 km. Data are fused in the ArduPilot EKF3 filter via a Raspberry Pi 5; drift between beacons is 0.3–0.5 km. The document includes an energy balance (margin +39%, +30% in a 5 m/s wind), a thrust-to-weight ratio of 3.53 and a budget of 1.93 million rubles. The author's conclusion: the mission is impossible on ordinary LiPo batteries; semi-solid-state Tattu cells with a density of 313 Wh/kg are needed (source).

• [TECH] The radio path of Airlogix's "Gor" relay for the Anubis and SETH-X. A Russian channel analyzed the BluSDR-90-420520-UL module on an enemy aircraft: C-band 4.2–5.2 GHz, 2×5 W, COFDM 2×2 MIMO, up to 87 Mbit/s, MESH network of up to 144 nodes, automatic jamming avoidance, ranging between nodes without GNSS, AES-256 (source). The same text was published by another channel (source).

• [TECH] ESP32 turned into a cheap SDR. The ESP-SDR firmware captures raw I/Q samples (quadrature components of a radio signal), bypassing standard Wi-Fi processing, at up to 80 million samples/s. The eight-channel ESPARGOS One array gains the ability to direction-find Bluetooth and Zigbee in the 2.4 GHz band (source). An SDR (software-defined radio) of this level for the price of a Wi-Fi chip is a ready basis for cheap direction finding of drone controllers and radio links. The author honestly states the limitations: recording in short windows with gaps, no calibration.

• How much a Chinese radar against small drones costs in 2026. A 3 km 2D radar costs 180–280 thousand yuan; the most widespread 5 km 3D class — 400–600 thousand; an AESA (active electronically scanned array) for 8–10 km — 700–950 thousand (source). The main warning: devices cheaper than 200 thousand yuan often turn out to be RF detectors rather than radars, and a range without a stated RCS (radar cross-section of the target, here about 0.01 m²) means nothing.

• Alissum-S — drone detectors combined into a MESH network. Quadro Code compressed spectral data almost 10 times with a "neural packer", which makes it possible to build a distributed detection network over low-speed links (source).

• Rocket launch from a drone at artillery. The Russian channel KORSAR_FPV describes a Ukrainian combination in which a drone with a launcher strikes a gun out of reach of FPVs and the Baba Yaga. A soldier was killed when approaching the gun. The author advises scanning video channels, since launch is impossible without a strong video signal (source).

• Five levels of "combat intelligence". A Russian analyst proposes a scale from auxiliary automation to a self-organizing command architecture and separates platform autonomy from the autonomy of the whole network. Conclusion: the advantage comes from the speed of turning data into coordinated action under losses and interference (source).

And what about our Chinese comrades?

• YH-1000S — a heavy transport drone practiced in-flight cargo drops. Three containers and eight small loads were dropped with accuracy maintained. Maximum takeoff weight 3.3 t, payload 1.2 t, range up to 1500 km, up to 10 hours in the air, takeoff from unpaved strips and roads. The hybrid power plant based on an automotive 2.0T was developed together with an electric vehicle manufacturer (source). This is a tool for supplying island and mountain garrisons.

• Swarm record: 116 autonomous underwater vehicles simultaneously. Northwestern Polytechnical University and Xian Tianhe Maritime Technologies conducted group movement without human involvement (source). Experience in coordinating an underwater swarm has a direct dual use.

• Shijian-25 and BeiDou. Chinese researchers claim to have refueled a navigation satellite in high orbit: if confirmed, the transfer of 142 kg of fuel makes the constellation more resilient (source).

• A "hellscape" against the PLA. Admiral Paparo in an interview with Time described saturating the Taiwan Strait with thousands of cheap drones, USVs and underwater vehicles based on Ukraine's experience. He acknowledges that in just 18 months China commissioned 10 destroyers, 8 frigates, an aircraft carrier and 11 submarines (source).

• Military presence in the region. On September 29, a Chinese-Lao support and training center at Bangen air base and an aviation academy began operating (source). The PLA Southern Theater Command is practicing round-the-clock flight exercises, including at night (source).

External analysis

• Janes clarifies the picture around Milrem. The Telegram ecosystem is debating whether there was sabotage. Janes gives industrial figures: more than 150 THeMIS for Ukraine by the end of 2026, 100 of them assembled by the Dutch VDL Defentec. The Tallinn plant's capacity is one vehicle per day with the potential for up to 500 per year; the arson did not stop production (source).

• Terra Drone's deal with Kurin is the entry of Japanese capital into the Ukrainian market, not just an asset purchase. Defender Media adds that the KT-1 and KT-2 interceptors are already used by the 3rd Army Corps, and capacity exceeds 1000 units per month. Through the company, the Japanese will promote their jet-powered interceptors and rocket UAVs (source).

• Language models on board a swarm. Shield AI demonstrated assigning a search task to two drones with a text command. The NVIDIA Cosmos 2 model runs on an onboard computer without the cloud, which reduces the requirements for operator training (source).

• The US is building its own supply chain for small drones. The Army is studying the market for rare-earth magnets for producing brushless motors for small UAVs and is ready to award several contracts (source). This is a logical continuation of DDP requirements for a fully American component base.

• Strike drones in the Middle East are being institutionalized. Bahrain is joining CENTCOM's Task Force Falcon Strike. Its predecessor is credited with strikes on Iran using LUCAS loitering munitions (an American clone of the Shahed) and unmanned boats (source).

• The speed of introducing autonomy in aviation. Skyryse and BAE Systems Australia are combining SkyOS with the MQ-28 Ghost Bat control system. On the Black Hawk, the path from the start of work to the first autonomous flight took 91 days (source).

Top military tech signals of the day

1. ↗38 · 👁981 · @payloadUAV — ESPARGOS enabled raw I/Q capture on the ESP32 ESP-SDR uses undocumented…
2. ↗16 · 👁458 · @theaterVD — ✈️🇩🇪 German MoD plans to buy 16 A400M aircraft 🔷On September 29, 2026, the…
3. ↗16 · 👁552 · @Ghost_Malleus_Maleficarum — Part 1. Setting up a thermal sight. Main characteristics of sights.…
4. ↗12 · 👁439 · @theaterVD — 🇮🇩🇺🇸Indonesia received the first 12 M-35 amphibious assault vehicles 🔷September 28, 2…
5. ↗14 · 👁561 · @mil_hub — Please share this video as widely as possible! The enemy has started using forward-firing ne…
6. ↗129 · 👁5199 · @barantchik — The enemy is having success in the Krasny Liman direction. At the spearhead is the 3rd…
7. ↗9 · 👁405 · @mil_hub — A new reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle was presented in Ukraine…
8. ↗12 · 👁578 · @militaryrussiaru — It seems a Tu-95MS crashed, not a Tu-154 as previously reported. This is indicated by…
9. ↗17 · 👁821 · @DefenderMedia — Japan's Terra Drone, through its European structure Terra Defense Europe, acq…
10. ↗24 · 👁1167 · @battle_technic — Key systems of Russian air and coastal defense include vario…