Report: Russia Uses Low-tech Chips from the West, and This is Making Them Lose the War

Last month, when SOFREP compiled the comprehensive list of the recently retrieved Soviet-era Russian weaponry, we knew an investigation on their tech was bound to happen. Today, we uncover how Russians have integrated low-tech chips and hardware into their most advanced systems.

Russians have been recognized to have a “top of the line arsenal,” and they usually boast of their “deadly” weapon systems. However, after investigators examined the electronics behind Russia’s newest cruise missiles, attack helicopters, and tanks, they found that they used decades-old tech (some of which were structured during World War II). Analysts also noted that some low-tech components include a unique but essential satellite navigation system.

The other components they checked out included the Ka-52 helicopter, cruise missiles, uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), and all communications and navigation equipment. The report has identified 144 non-Russian manufacturers “of more than 650 unique component models in Russian materiel used in the war on Ukraine,” the report wrote.

The physical analysis of these components “indicates that the Russian Federation is highly reliant on a narrow set of particular technology to produce the advanced weapon systems it has deployed since invading Ukraine in February 2022.”

“We saw that Russia reuses the same electronic components across multiple weapons, including their newest cruise missiles and attack helicopters, and we didn’t expect to see that,” said Damien Spleeters, an investigator for the group who contributed to the report.

“Russian guided weapons are full of non-Russian technology and components, and most of the computer chips we documented were made by Western countries after 2014.”

Because of this analysis, Moscow’s media push to become the world’s most fearsome military becomes less and less effective. However, the findings show that Russia’s weaponry is still powered by “Western innovation.” The report supports this notion because the retrieved parts have integrated technology from Asian and European manufacturers.

The US also knows this, which is probably one reason Russia was lost before they even began the invasion. According to Spleeters, Russian tech “have been built around Western chips.” He added that Russia had been given free access to an “unabated supply” of Western tech over the past few decades, even though they’ve amassed a good number of reserves when the war started. But then, the restrictions kicked in; they couldn’t upgrade their supply chain, let alone replenish broken systems.

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo had also confirmed this before. One of the reasons the Russian military has been crippled is because of the stringent export controlUSU.S. expoUSto Russia in the categories where we have export controls, including semiconductors, are down by over 90 percent since Feb. 24,” she said. “So that is crippling.”

When the new sanctions were enforced, Moscow stopped publishing its monthly trade data, but customs data show shipments of their essential parts and components have dipped. In the data compiled by Matthew C. Klein, Russian imports were down 51 percent in April.

On the other hand, others warn about underestimating Russia’s military capabilities. Michael Kofman, the director of Russia studies at CNA, said export had affected weapons effectivity in war, but this does not mean complete devastation of their army. Additionally, he said he is not confident about sourcing the claims above.

“There’s not been much evidence to substantiate reports of problems in Russia’s defense sector,” he said.

However, Maria Snegovaya, a visiting scholar at George Washington University who has studied sanctions on Russia, said Russia’s lack of critical technologies directly impacts how they will succeed (or fail) in this war.

“We expect random disruptions in Russia’s production chains to manifest themselves more frequently,” Snegovaya said.

“The question is: Are Russian companies able to find substitutes?”