Ukrainian intelligence named foreign companies manufacturing microchips that russia puts in missiles
russian missiles do not reach their targets without clear coordinates, which determine the navigation systems manufactured by foreign companies.
The Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine states this.
As noted, russia uses its own development GLONASS, a GPS analog, to guide missiles. GLONASS was created in 1982 by the order of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR. Although GLONASS is a dual-purpose system, it is primarily used by the russian military to target Ukrainian cities.
There is a weak point in the russian navigation system — GLONASS depends on microchips produced by foreign companies. russian missiles and drones are equipped with foreign-made GLONASS-enabled microchips – usually civilian chips, but the russians use them for military purposes.
The chips receive and process coordinates from GLONASS, and the missiles use this information to navigate in space and aim at Ukrainian civil and energy infrastructure.
Several foreign companies continue to produce microchips with GLONASS support to this day:
- Linx Technologies (USA);
- Broadcom (USA);
- Qualcomm (USA);
- Telit (USA);
- Maxim Integrated (USA);
- TRIMBLE (USA);
- Cavli Wireless (USA);
- u-blox AG (Switzerland);
- STMicroelectronics (Switzerland);
- Sierra Wireless (Canada);
- NovAtel (Canada);
- Septentrio (Belgium);
- Antenova (UK).
The intelligence explained that russia continues to purchase GLONASS-enabled microchips thanks to numerous shell companies and distributors. They are used in at least the following types of weapons: Orlan-10 and Shahed-136 drones, Tornado-S and Smerch anti-aircraft missiles, Iskander, Kalibr, and Kinzhal missiles, as well as aviation and cruise missiles X -101, X-555, X-38, X-59MK, X-31.
Without foreign-made GLONASS-enabled chips, russians will have to build their own microelectronics from scratch. The intelligence agency emphasizes that export control and control by manufacturers will not work in this case because russia is constantly inventing new ways to circumvent sanctions and purchase technologies.
In addition, it is necessary to remove the function of supporting this navigation system from all your devices.
Foreign companies should realize the direct impact of their products on russia's defense capability, stop producing chips with GLONASS support and remove the function of supporting this navigation system from all their devices, Ukrainian intelligence emphasizes.
