One-way attack loitering munition using terrain-following navigation and GPS/inertial guidance. Deployed in large swarms to saturate air defenses and strike fixed targets.
The Shahed-136 uses a delta-wing configuration with a piston engine that produces a distinctive buzzing sound, earning it the nickname 'moped drone' among Ukrainian civilians. Russia has manufactured thousands of these munitions under license, redesignating them Geran-2, and has used them to conduct mass strikes against Ukrainian electrical infrastructure in coordinated waves designed to overwhelm air defenses. Iran has denied supplying these weapons to Russia despite overwhelming evidence including recovered fragments.
Mass use by Russia against Ukrainian infrastructure 2022–present; attacks on Saudi Arabia
There is no direct Western publicly traded company exposure. Investors concerned about proliferation of this system may monitor Raytheon (RTX) and Northrop Grumman (NOC) as key air defense contractors benefiting from demand for countermeasures.