Engine of a Russo-Iranian kamikaze drone intercepted this night in the Mykolaiv region (where I live). This is not okay

15 comments

1. It’s highly unfortunate how easy it is for back channels to allow for distribution of essential pieces to places that shouldn’t have them. I doubt that the manufacturer knows its stuff is being used to kill civilians.

2. This sucks. The Irish probably feel like shit about this.

   That said, it’s important to realize that blocking components fully in our complex international market is almost impossible, as there are always back doors and bad people. The goal of sanctions should be viewed more as making things painfully expensive on multiple fronts.

   Additionally, we don’t know when this specific part was sent or if it’s sensitive to sanctions at all (and if sanctions would even make sense).

   Still, I hope it is a reminder that russia is not learning fast enough, and needs some additional lessons in not being a steaming pile of shit.

3. Tillotson carburetors have also been found in drones in the Sudan war 10 years ago or so. Either these specific Irish carburetors are extremely well spread on the world market or the company is having a profitable distribution channel the EU and the UN know nothing about.

4. Irish navigation chips are getting found in Russian drones and missiles as well. Clearly a closer look needs to be happening at who they are supplying.

5. Judging by the state and oxidation these engines could be over 5 years old.

6. Man, it’s the same as Russia probably using Intel and AMD chips chips in their death rockets. I know they are harder to get now due to sanctions but their first weapons were defo powered by Western and Japanese designed, and Chinese built computer technology. Probably getting them from China or Taiwan on the sly still, but probably knock off versions.

   I am sure western designers and manufacturers have no idea their stuff is being used by these evil dictatorships, but these regimes need western technology to make their weaponry so they are gonna source them. It’s not like Iran can make it all from scratch.

   Solution is to bomb Iran’s research bases and weapons manufacturing locations. What I wouldn’t do to see these evil regime’s suddenly get kerb stomped. North Korea, Iran, Russia, Afghanistan, Belarus, and Syria deserve a good beating.

7. If I had made these or had a part in manufacturing them I would be very angry.

8. Available at any well stocked hobby shop. Nothing to be done about this. Probably not even a sanctioned good.

9. I’m not sure if this particular motor (part) is sanctioed at all.

   This is clearly dual use. So there are close to no restrictions, and it may be bought freely on the market and then sold to Iran (may be even without breaking a sanction).

   I didn’t want to imply, that these goods should not be sanctioned.

10. Just like with electronics components, there are absolutely no controls on the sale of stuff like this. You can literally go to the [Tillotson site](https://tillotson.ie/shop/) and buy them yourself as a consumer…or you can go to any one of the hundreds of hobbyist stores that will also carry stock of this kind of thing.

    Sure, maybe the Russians are ordering these parts directly and the company is fulfilling an order for Ivan…but more likely they’re fulfilling an order for Seamus that’s completely indistinguishable from a perfectly legitimate order and then Seamus is the one who ships them to Russia. Or Seamus is buying from a hobby shop or reseller, and Tillitson’s not even involved in the direct sale at all.

    Unfortunately where components are ubiquitous and uncontrolled as the majority of these things are, there is no realistic prospect of stopping Russia from being able to get them. They can literally just send a diplomat with a shopping bag to get them.

11. I used to work for a well known, global, automotive parts manufacturer who had restrictions on which countries, companies, and even individuals they could sell to, including Russia. As soon as the first Russian vehicles were captured and torn apart they found these manufacturers parts.

12. How do we know this wasn’t made and sold before the war, and russia is just so desperate that they are using whatever they find?
    It could also be that they’re being sold to another country who is selling them on to russia.

13. Interesting, it’s a company that makes carburettors for small engines:
    https://tillotson.ie/about-us/

    It seems unusual though that they’d use such an expensive part in a disposable drone. I’d have expected nothing but the very cheapest Chinesium knockoff carbs.

14. This is a simple valve either they are buying it from the Irish or China or domestically produced in Iran it’s not a highly sophisticated micro chip or a gun barrel it’s a company who has employees that produces parts for simple engines.

15. Are such screws still in use for automatic assembly? It looks pretty old to me.