Economist Podcasts Drone team: Russia’s plan to arm Iran
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May 8, 2026 
Shashank Joshi, defence editor who analyses military and strategic affairs, explains a leaked Russian plan to supply Iran with unjammable fiber‑optic and satellite‑linked drones. He discusses the document’s authenticity, how tethered drones work, Starlink‑equipped long‑range craft and proposed training schemes. The conversation also touches on regional implications for Russia‑Iran cooperation.
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Why Fiber Tethering Renders Drones Unjammable
- Fiber-optic tethering makes drones immune to radio jamming because control and data run down a physical cable.
- Operators in Ukraine have demonstrated weaving these drones through dense terrain, driving a scramble for fiber-optic spools in both camps.
Starlink Equips Drones For Beyond Line-Of-Sight Strikes
- Longer-range drones equipped with Starlink terminals can be guided via low-Earth-orbit satellites, easing control beyond line-of-sight.
- The proposal feared interim disruption if Starlink connectivity were later cut, but it could still cause short-term disorder to US forces.
Training Plan Targets Diaspora For Drone Operators
- The Russian plan included recruiting and training operators from Iranian students in Russia, Tajik communities, and Syrian Alawites to run drone swarms.
- A diagram in the proposal showed swarms launched 15–30 km away poised to attack slow amphibious landing craft.