Ukrainian AN-196 Liutyi Drone, Dubbed ‘Ukrainian Shahed,’ Receives Major Upgrade

Ukraine’s long-range drone, the AN-196 Liutyi, also referred to as the “Ukrainian Shahed, has undergone a significant upgrade, now equipped with a 75-kilogram warhead—50% heavier than its previous 50-kilogram payload.

According to Donbas Realities, this enhanced payload was successfully used to strike the Saratov Oil Refinery, with the drone covering over 600 kilometers from the Ukrainian border to its target. This accomplishment underscores the AN-196's potential operational range when configured with larger payloads.

Evolution of the Liutyi Drone

The AN-196 Liutyi is a domestically developed long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), first introduced publicly by Ukroboronprom in October 2022. The project aimed to produce a drone capable of carrying up to 75 kilograms of explosive material over a distance exceeding 1,000 kilometers.

Built as a robust alternative to Iranian Shahed-136 drones, the Liutyi boasts an advanced design. It features a dual-boom low-wing fuselage with a pusher-propeller engine located at the rear. Constructed with fiberglass reinforced by metal mesh, the drone combines modularity with aerodynamic efficiency, ensuring greater range and payload flexibility.

The Liutyi employs conventional aircraft take-off methods, utilizing fixed landing gear. This design allows for deployment from improvised runways, such as highways, without relying on dedicated airstrips.

Key specifications:

• Wingspan: 6.7 meters

• Length: 4.4 meters

• Takeoff weight: 250–300 kilograms

Operators have adapted the Liutyi with improved detonation systems. Initial versions experienced failures due to improper impact-triggering mechanisms, which have since been addressed by relocating the initiator to the nose of the fuselage.

Ukrainian reconnaissance units report that strike capabilities have expanded to 2,000 kilometers, though details remain undisclosed. If achieved with the AN-196 Liutyi, this would represent a doubling of its original range, achievable through increased fuel capacity or lighter payloads.

Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced plans to produce at least 30,000 long-range drones in 2025, supported by Ukrainian government funding and international contributions. Sweden has already allocated funds for these drones, with Lithuania currently finalizing its participation.