Nvidia AI chip discovered in Russian S-71M cruise missile

Ukrainian military intelligence has identified a Western high-tech component, an Nvidia Jetson Orin NX module, inside a Russian S-71M ‘Monochrome’ cruise missile. Analysis of debris recovered from the front indicates the projectile utilizes this system-on-module to support autonomous target recognition, searching, and real-time identification during flight.

The Jetson Orin NX is a high-performance module designed for robotics, commercial drones, and edge computing. It features an 8-core Arm Cortex-A78AE CPU and an Ampere-architecture GPU with 1,024 CUDA cores, capable of providing up to 157 TOPS of computing power for AI tasks. Unlike the S-71K ‘Kover’ variant, which targets fixed coordinates, the S-71M functions as a hybrid between a cruise missile and loitering munitions.

Nvidia has responded to the findings, stating that the Jetson Orin NX is a consumer-grade product intended for developers and entrepreneurs, not designed for military purposes. The company clarified that it does not commercialize its products in Russia. Officials noted that while these modules are difficult to track once sold through secondary markets or various resellers, Nvidia will take necessary measures if it identifies customers violating US export controls.