Garpiya-A1
Closely resembles the Shahed-136 but is a separate Russian system
An attack drone produced by IEMZ Kupol (Almaz-Antey) that closely resembles the Shahed-136 in size and range, but has its own Chinese engine and distinguishing features. More than 2,500 built between July 2023 and July 2024.
Learn more in the Drone Academy →Dimensionsfor imagery analysis
- Drone (L × span)
- 3.4 × 3.0 m
- Max. take-off weight
- ≈ 250–300 kg
- Dimension source
- US Army TRADOC Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)
Key data
- Weight
- < 300 kg
- Range
- up to 1,500 km — comparable to the Shahed-136
- Engine
- Chinese Limbach L-550E
Confusable with
- Distinguishing feature
- Its own bolt-on tail fin; different engine housing than the Shahed-136
- Risk
- Initial reports often confuse Garpiya and Shahed — check engine features before attributing
Export version Garpiya-A1(E) (Sep 2026)
- Rosoboronexport figures
- Range up to 1,000 km, warhead > 50 kg, flight altitude 50–2,500 m, speed ≥ 170 km/h, endurance ≥ 6 h; for fixed targets with known coordinates. The shorter range than the 1,500 km above applies to the export version
- Marketing
- First shown at the Vietnam Defence Show and Airshow China; serial production of the export version has started, with deliveries going first to the Russian MoD. Also used as a carrier for FPV drones
- Source
- Topwar (29 Sep 2026), RU Mil Tracker e-20260930-s02 — manufacturer figures, single source, not independently verified
Production (OSINT, Oct 2026)
- Location
- Final assembly in building No. 12 of IEMZ Kupol in Izhevsk, on the grounds of the former 300th production site of the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant (acquired by Kupol in 2019); geolocated from an Almaz-Antey promotional video
- Contract
- Per the analyst, Russia's MoD signed a contract worth over RUB 1 billion (≈ $12M) with Kupol in 2023 to start production; first debris in Ukraine on 13 Sep 2024. No output figures given
- Source
- Dnipro Osint (Harbuz) with CyberBoroshno, via Ukrainska Pravda (1 Oct 2026), RU Mil Tracker e-20261002-05 — Ukrainian OSINT, not independently verified
Jet-powered variants (claim, Oct 2026)
- Variants
- Jet-powered variants in development: a transitional version with a jet engine in the existing fuselage (similar to the Geran-3) and a new airframe designed for a jet engine; output still small compared with Alabuga's jet Gerans
- Launch
- Mobile launcher on a KamAZ-5350 chassis that can carry several Geran/Garpiya drones at once — less dependent on fixed launch sites
- Source
- NTV report via the Telegram channel Colonel GSh, Militarnyi (3 Oct 2026), RU Mil Tracker e-20261004-04 — Russian state TV and an anonymous source, not independently verified
News archive 7
Analysed reports from the RU Mil Tracker about this system, newest first. Archive since 2026-07-17.
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«Крылатая ракета «Филин». Недорогое средство большой дальности» (Topwar: 'The Filin cruise missile: an inexpensive long-range weapon')
Topwar author Kirill Ryabov discusses the 'Filin' (Eagle-Owl), a new long-range ground-launched cruise missile. He relies almost entirely on material that Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) published on its War&Sanctions portal on 22 October: debris photos, a 3D model, a component list and estimated specifications. HUR says Russia has used the missile si…
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«New russian Filin Missile Consists Half of American, Chinese Components: Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Reveals Details» (Defense Express)
Defense Express reviews the component analysis of Russia's new Filin cruise missile that Ukraine's Defence Intelligence (HUR) published on its War&Sanctions portal, including a 3D model, an assembly breakdown and a list of electronic parts. The outlet stresses HUR's finding that the missile's electronics resemble those of other Russian missiles and UAVs, wi…
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Ukraine's HUR unveils Filin, a new low-cost Russian ground-launched cruise missile with up to 1,200 km range, built with 35 US and 22 Chinese components and a Russian R500 turbojet
On 22 October 2026 Ukraine's military intelligence agency HUR published an interactive 3D model, an assembly breakdown and an electronic-component database of a new Russian cruise missile, the Filin ("eagle owl"), on its War&Sanctions portal. According to HUR, Russia began firing the missile at Ukraine in late summer 2026. It is developed by AO NPO Molniya,…
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«Вслед за «Геранями Сикер» ВС РФ начали применять реактивные БПЛА «Гарпия-А1»» (Topwar: 'Following the Geran Seekers, the Russian Armed Forces have begun using jet-powered Garpiya-A1 UAVs')
Topwar reports that Russian forces have begun using a jet-powered version of the Garpiya-A1 loitering munition, following the jet Geran-4/5 'Seeker' drones. The claim rests on a video circulated by Ukrainian social-media channels, filmed by the camera of a Ukrainian interceptor drone. Unnamed experts in uncrewed aviation are quoted as identifying the target…
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Russia develops jet-powered versions of the Garpiya strike drone; NTV footage also shows a KamAZ-based mobile launcher
Russia has developed a jet-powered version of the Garpiya strike drone, Militarnyi reports, based on a report by Russian state broadcaster NTV that was highlighted by the Telegram channel Colonel GSh. The footage shows two jet variants. One is a transitional version that puts a jet engine in the existing piston-engine fuselage, similar to the Geran-3. The o…
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OSINT analysts geolocate the final assembly shop of the Russian Garpiya-A1 attack drone at the Kupol plant in Izhevsk
Ukrainian OSINT analyst Dnipro Osint (Harbuz) says on Telegram that he has located the production facilities of the Russian Garpiya-A1 (Harpy-A1) attack drone, a one-way attack UAV built on the Shahed-136 concept. The starting point was a recent promotional video from the Russian state arms concern Almaz-Antey showing the export version Garpiya-A1(E) and th…
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Россия впервые представит экспортную версию БПЛА «Гарпия-А1» в КНР и Вьетнаме
Topwar (Voennoye Obozreniye, 29 Sep 2026) reports that the Almaz-Antey air and space defence concern plans to show the export version of its long-range 'Garpiya-A1 (E)' (Harpy-A1) unmanned strike system for the first time at the Vietnam Defence Show in Vietnam and at Airshow China. The drone is Almaz-Antey's own development.