A critical navigation component used in Shahed-series attack drones is now openly for sale on a major Chinese e-commerce site. Ukrainian electronic warfare specialist Serhiy Beskrestnov, widely known by his callsign “Serhiy Flesh,” highlighted that a Chinese-made, 11-element anti-jamming antenna long identified as a core part of the Shahed’s guidance system has appeared on AliExpress.
Beskrestnov wrote that “The Chinese decided that since the whole world knows about their antennas on the Shaheds, there’s no point in hiding, and they can now quietly appear on AliExpress.”
The antenna, listed for about $3,290 with delivery options to the United States, is designed to protect drone navigation systems from electronic warfare interference. This capability enables Shaheds to accurately strike targets even within areas covered by advanced jamming systems, posing a threat to any country within their range.
The manufacturer claims the antenna offers high unit gain, consistent performance across all anti-jamming elements, a wide beam pattern, and strong performance at both high and low elevation angles.
It is advertised as resistant to single and multiple jamming attempts. The housing is built from special materials designed to withstand extreme temperature swings and corrosion, making it suitable for shipborne, vehicle-mounted, and other mobile applications.
According to the posted specifications, the antenna’s anti-jamming units are symmetrically designed for uniform gain, with high isolation between unit ports. It features strong circular polarization performance, wide gain bandwidth, and can be customized in frequency, size, and structure for specific operational needs.
In Ukraine, the Shahed’s navigation resilience has been a persistent challenge for defenders. These drones, equipped with warheads of around 90 kilograms, can cause catastrophic damage to urban targets if not intercepted.
The product description on AliExpress identifies the model as the TDXL-KGR1101, an 11-element anti-jamming array antenna built for China’s BeiDou BDS-4B3 and 4S navigation signals, with compatibility for B1I, B1C, L1, and Russia’s GLONASS. It also supports transmission of BDS L-band signals.