Since last year, Russia has been producing a new long-range drone called the "Harpy-A1" using Chinese engines and parts, and has used the weapon in the war in Ukraine, two European sources said intelligence and documents provided to Reuters, writes BTA.
Intelligence – which include a contract for the production of the new drone, company correspondence regarding the production and financial documents, indicate that Kupol Izhevsk Electromechanical Plant (IEMZ), a subsidiary of Russian state arms manufacturer Almaz-Antey, is produced more than 2,500 "Harpy" drones from July 2023 to July 2024
The existence of a new Russian drone, the creation of which also used Chinese technology, has not been reported before. IEMZ "Kupol” and "Almaz-Antey“ did not respond to requests for comment, according to Reuters.
The two intelligence sources said the "Harpy” has been used against military and civilian targets in Ukraine, damaging critical infrastructure and causing both civilian and military casualties.
They shared with Reuters pictures from Ukraine showing debris from the "Harpy”, without providing further details.
Samuel Bendet of the Washington-based think tank Center for a New American Security told Reuters that if the presence of "Harpy" if confirmed, it will mark a departure from Russia's past practice of relying on long-range Iranian drones.
Iran, which has not commented on this information, has delivered more than 1,000 kamikaze drones to “Shaheed” of Russia from the beginning of its invasion in February 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in May last year.
"Harpy“ "It is very similar to the Shahed, but has several distinctive features, including a unique fin and a Limbach L-550 E engine," the European Agency for Reuters reported. The engine, which was originally designed and manufactured by a German company, is now manufactured in China by local firm Xiamen Limbach. The company did not respond to a request for comment.
Reuters examined a contract worth more than 1 billion rubles (10 million euros) signed in the first quarter of 2023 between the Russian Ministry of Defense and IEMZ "Kupol” for the creation of a factory for the production of unmanned aircraft.