Wreckage from an Iranian drone that targeted the British Royal Air Force base at Akrotiri, Cyprus, on Sunday reportedly contained a Russian-made “Kometa” satellite navigation module built using Western-manufactured components, according to reports.
The discovery was revealed by open-source intelligence (OSINT) accounts on X.
Video circulating online appears to show debris from the downed drone, including what an unidentified individual claims is a Russian “Kometa” military antenna.
The attempted strike came shortly after the RAF repositioned radar systems, counter-drone defenses, and F-35 stealth fighter jets to the base in support of Operation Epic Fury against Iran.
The British military air base Akrotiri in Cyprus was hit by a drone strike, resulting in "minor damage" to the military facility, the Cyprus Mail newspaper reported:https://t.co/0YOqD5eS2I
Video: World News/Х pic.twitter.com/iuBEvixw0R
— TASS (@tassagency_en) March 2, 2026
OSINT Accounts Identify Russian Navigation System
The OSINT account Special Kherson Cat wrote:
“Shahed kamikaze drones launched by Iran toward Cyprus were partially manufactured in Russia using western components.
“Video footage shows a Russian-made ‘Kometa’ satellite navigation module recovered from one of the Shahed drones used in the attack.
“The ‘Kometa’ is an anti-jamming GNSS antenna system designed to protect the drone’s navigation from electronic warfare interference, improving targeting accuracy under contested conditions.”
‼️ Shahed kamikaze drones launched by Iran toward Cyprus were partially manufactured in Russia using western components.
Video footage shows a Russian-made “Kometa” satellite navigation module recovered from one of the Shahed drones used in the attack. The “Kometa” is an… https://t.co/BXd2tMdYdl pic.twitter.com/3rYxapnMEk
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) March 2, 2026
Another X account added:
“Those Taoglas CGGP.18.4.C.02 GNSS signal receivers are Irish and integrated into the Russian Orlan models back in 2024.”
Those Taoglas CGGP.18.4.C.02 GNSS signal receivers are Irish and integrated into the Russian Orlan models back in 2024 pic.twitter.com/gTXTuGRusi
— Mixed Strategy (@mixedstrategy) March 2, 2026
The Kometa system is reportedly used to shield drones and guided munitions from GPS jamming.
It allows the drones to maintain navigational accuracy in electronic warfare environments.
Sanctions Circumvention Allegations
Independent Russian journalist Roman Dobrokhotov, writing via The Insider, provided additional context about the Kometa system and how Russia allegedly sources components.
The report stated:
“Russian engineers assemble the Kometa from parts imported by circumventing sanctions.
“For a long time, these parts were delivered directly to the Russian research institute making the antennas.
“But as The Insider discovered, more recent deliveries have been carried out using intermediary firms.”
The Kometa antenna array reportedly falls under customs code 854231, which covers electronic circuits and is subject to export bans from the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Taiwan.
Despite those restrictions, reporting suggests Kometa systems continue to be assembled using Irish- and Taiwanese-made antenna components.
One Kometa system can reportedly be built using four antennas manufactured by the Irish company Taoglas.
According to the report, those components allegedly reach Russia via Taiwanese or Chinese intermediaries before being shipped to lesser-known Russian firms, including Hailang LLC in St. Petersburg.
Link to Ukraine Conflict
The X account Clash Report claimed the Kometa chips are the “same system used on Russian drones and missiles in Ukraine,” raising questions about potential technology overlap between Moscow and Tehran.
If confirmed, the presence of Russian military-grade navigation hardware inside an Iranian drone targeting a British base would underscore the deepening alignment between Iran and Russia.
It would also raise renewed concerns about sanctions enforcement and Western components appearing in adversarial weapons systems.
British and U.S. officials have not yet publicly confirmed the specific components recovered from the drone wreckage.
The incident comes amid escalating tensions in the region as U.S., Israeli, and allied forces continue operations aimed at degrading Iran’s military capabilities.
Our comment section is restricted to members of the Slay News community only.
To join, create a free account HERE.
If you are already a member, log in HERE.