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Imagery Update: New Construction Identified at the Alabuga Shahed 136 Production Facilities

by David Albright, Spencer Faragasso, and the Good ISIS Team

September 24, 2024

Introduction

Recent commercial satellite imagery shows expanded activities and construction at multiple facilities producing the Shahed 136 kamikaze drone by JSC Alabuga at the Alabuga Special Economic Zone (SEZ), Tatarstan, Russia. The Airbus and Google Earth imagery, taken between June 1, 2024, and September 13, 2024, shows that the number of facilities producing components for the Shahed 136 drone as well as other drones has increased, and the production areas are being better secured.

From other Institute analyses, based on the number of Shahed launches against Ukraine, the site has already produced far more Shahed 136 drones than originally expected. Originally intending to supply 6000 such drones by September 2025, JSC Alabuga will reach that goal one year earlier. Moreover, it appears from other information that it is making the gas-driven piston engine in Building 13.1, a short distance from the main production buildings, 8.1 and 8.2.

Construction at Synergy 8.1 and Synergy 8.2

Imagery shows a great deal of activity near the main Shahed 136 production buildings, Synergy 8.1 and Synergy 8.2. (Synergy is a term used by JSC Alabuga to refer to buildings.) Synergy 8.2 is well known to be the location for the production of Shahed airframes. Synergy 8.1’s function has shifted over the last few years. Available information indicates that Synergy 8.1 houses the production of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and the assembly of electronic modules for the drone. Leaked internal documents show that Iran provided JSC Alabuga with information on making PCBs for the Shahed and a list of the necessary production equipment and technology. Nonetheless, many of the key microelectronic components for those circuit boards are still imported from Western suppliers.

Several new buildings are under construction near these two buildings. Two new buildings under construction to their west (left in images below) appear to be in the process of being enclosed within the same security perimeter, suggesting they are part of the same complex. An image from June 1, 2024, shows the buildings under construction, with the roof partially covering one building and the other completely exposed (see Figure 1). By August 6, 2024, the buildings’ roofs were in place, but imagery from September 13, 2024, shows that surrounding site work is still ongoing (see Figures 2 and 3). The construction staging area remained very active throughout the assessed period, showing many vehicles and large amounts of construction materials. It is unclear when these buildings will be fully completed. These new buildings may be used for component storage or for additional manufacturing space.

New construction is also occurring between Synergy 8.1 and Synergy 8.2. Satellite imagery from August 6, 2024, and September 13, 2024, shows what appear to be construction materials and pylons for a new raised structure under construction in the previously open area located between the production buildings (see Figures 2 and 3). The purpose of this structure is unclear. Additionally, the roof of Synergy 8.2 shows signs of internal operation, as is evident from a large black spot on the roof near two exhaust vents. The spot appears more pronounced in the August 6 image than in the June 1 image. The black spot may be the result of exhaust from engine testing or possibly black paint debris from painting the airframe of the Shahed 136.

Although not yet observed on the available imagery, new information acquired by the Institute indicates that the Shahed production facilities are being protected by watchtowers equipped with machine guns, likely intended to defend against UAV attacks. The attack on April 2, 2024, against nearby dormitories of Alabuga Polytechnic students, many of whom worked in Synergy 8.2, caused widespread fear and influenced JSC Alabuga to use fewer students in airframe production, particularly those under 18 years old. ¹ The image from September 13, 2024, shows that the worker dormitories have been fully repaired (see Figure 4).

Figure 1. Synergies 8.1 and 8.2, taken on June 1, 2024, showing the construction of two new buildings adjacent to Synergy 8.2.

Figure 2. Synergies 8.1 and 8.2 taken on August 6, 2024, showing the completed roof on the two new buildings under construction adjacent to Synergy 8.2. New construction is also visible between Synergies 8.1 and 8.2.

Figure 3. A compacted Spot image taken on September 13, 2024, showing ongoing site work around the two new buildings under construction adjacent to Synergy 8.2. Additional materials and construction are visible at the ongoing construction between Synergies 8.1 and 8.2. The satellite image is compressed, making the buildings squarer and more truncated.

Figure 4. The student dormitories that suffered a UAV strike in April 2024 were repaired by September 13, 2024.

Construction at Synergy 13.1

Synergy 13.1 was identified early in Institute analysis as related to the manufacturing of Shahed drones. Recent information, based on internal Alabuga documents, identifies this building as being commissioned to make the Shahed 136 gas-driven piston engine in April 2024. ² More recent information indicates that engine production in this building has commenced. This information also indicates that recently produced Shahed 136 drones contain locally made engines, a statement which can be checked against Ukrainian information on recently downed drones.

An August 6, 2024, image shows that Synergy 13.1 is very active, its parking lot filled with over 200 passenger vehicles. There were far more vehicles present in the August 6 images than in the June 1 image. This suggests that engine production has commenced.

Russia received a great deal of technology to use in manufacturing the Shahed 136 engine, called the MD 550, made by the Iranian company Mado located in Qom. Alabuga specialists visited the Mado factory in early 2023 and returned with detailed plans, material and equipment lists, and advice on manufacturing the engine, according to a variety of internal Alabuga documents in the possession of the Institute. Russia subsequently may have received manufacturing equipment from Iran and may also have procured other manufacturing equipment from Russian and foreign firms. However, one key part of the production process, namely a foundry to forge the metal components, appears to be missing in Synergy 13.1, based on a lack of observable evidence of a foundry, which produces a great deal of heat and fumes. One explanation may be that JSC Alabuga has contracted with another Russian company to produce the forged engine parts, based on the technology provided by Iran. Meanwhile, it may be building its own foundry at an unidentified location near Synergy 13.1.

Satellite imagery from June 1, 2024, to September 13, 2024, shows a single building of unknown purpose under construction adjacent to Synergy 13.1 (see Figures 5-7). The new building is being constructed inside the security perimeter of Synergy 13.1. The June 1 image shows the foundation of the building under construction. By August 6, the foundation was completed and roughly half of the roof was installed. The roof was completed by September 13. A path was built between the new building and Synergy 13.1, indicating their operational connection. Site work remains ongoing surrounding the new building. Additionally, the images show the construction of a raised wall built along the front security perimeter that extends over the main security gate. The thickness and sloping angle of the new wall suggest it could also serve as some type of bridge over the entrance road. The new building’s function does not appear at this time to be a foundry, but only time will tell.

Figure 5. An image from June 1, 2024, of Synergy 13.1 and the construction of a new building within its security perimeter.

Figure 6. An image from August 6, 2024, of Synergy 13.1 and the construction of a new building within its security perimeter. The roof is partially completed and a new wall or walkway structure is added near the front of Synergy 13.1. A large number of cars can be seen in the parking lot.

Figure 7. An image from September 13, 2024, of Synergy 13.1 and the construction of a new building within its security perimeter. The roof and a new wall or walkway structure is completed. Site work is ongoing. A large number of cars can be seen in the parking lot. The satellite image is compressed, making the buildings squarer and more truncated.

^{1. David Albright, Sarah Burkhard, and Spencer Faragasso, “Assessment of the April 2024 Strike on Alabuga Special Economic Zone,” Institute for Science and International Security, May 2, 2024, https://isis-online.org/isis-reports/detail/assessment-of-the-april-2024-strike-on-alabuga-special-economic-zone/. ↩}

^{2. “Hacking Russian UAV manufacturer. Part 1: who assembles Geran-2?” Inform Napalm, April 17, 2024, https://informnapalm.org/en/hacking-russian-uav-manufacturer-part-1/. ↩}