Russia’s New Filin Missile Uses US, Chinese Electronics

Russia has begun using a new cruise missile against Ukraine that combines a Russian jet engine with American and Chinese electronics, Ukrainian military intelligence said, describing the weapon as part of Moscow’s push to develop cheaper long-range strike systems.

The missile, called Filin, entered use in late summer, according to Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR). The agency published an interactive 3D model, technical specifications, and a component breakdown on its War&Sanctions portal.

HUR identified 35 electronic components associated with US manufacturers and 22 with Chinese manufacturers. It said the missile’s electronics resemble those found in other Russian missiles and drones, but feature a growing share of Chinese components and standardized designs across different onboard units and circuit boards.

Filin is produced by NPO Molniya, part of Russia’s Tactical Missiles Corporation. HUR described it as a continuation of Russian efforts to manufacture relatively inexpensive, ground-launched weapons powered by jet engines.

The missile has a carbon-fiber and fiberglass composite fuselage measuring 3.5 meters, or about 11.5 feet, with a wingspan of 3 meters (9 feet). Some parts are made using 3D printing.

Russian-advertised specifications cited by HUR give Filin a maximum speed of 800 kilometers per hour, or about 500 mph, and a range of up to 1,200 kilometers, roughly 745 miles. Those performance claims have not been independently verified.

Other Topics of Interest

Ukraine Receives 252 Bodies From Russia, Identification to Follow

Ukrainian investigators will identify 252 repatriated bodies that Russia says belong to Ukrainian servicemen, Kyiv’s POW coordination center said.

HUR said the missile can fly at very low altitudes as well as at heights of up to 6 kilometers (3.7 miles). Versions carry either a 50-kilogram (130 lbs) or 100-kilogram (220 lbs) warhead. It launches from a ground-based platform using a solid-propellant booster.

The agency traced the missile’s onboard equipment to the Russian company PLAZ, which it said is also involved in producing the Garpiya attack drone, a variant of the Geran-2 manufactured by the Kupol electromechanical plant.

Filin and Garpiya equipment units share similar layouts and markings, HUR said, pointing to common design approaches across the two weapons.

For navigation, Filin uses a Chinese-made inertial navigation system alongside a 16-channel Kometa module. Inertial navigation tracks a weapon’s movement using onboard sensors, while the War&Sanctions portal identifies the Kometa unit as resistant to electronic interference.

Despite its foreign electronic components, the missile uses a Russian-made R500 turbojet engine manufactured by Reynolds, according to HUR. The agency said the same engine had previously been identified in Russia’s S-71K Kover and S-71M Monokhrom air-launched cruise missiles.