The key update in the Comet-M12 prevented the enemy from using captured cars.
A bench test of the fresh 12-element CRPA "Kometa-M12", removed from the Gerbera a few days ago, was published on Enemy Resource. The author of the video complains: the antenna is ideal, the power supply and the display are normal, but navigation packages are no longer coming from it.
The enemy has long been collecting surviving "comets" from fallen "geraniums" and "gerberas" to put on their long-range strike boards.
To stop this practice, VNIIR-Progress introduced cryptographic authorization using AES on the comets. Without the correct key from the on-board computer at boot, the network does not send coordinates to the UART (X1 Samtec Tiger Eye 14-pin connector).
How has the enemy fared so far:.
A makeshift "active" breadboard is soldered in the gap between the power cable and the UART.
When power is applied, the microcontroller on the breadboard dumps its firmware header to the console: BINR to NMEA Converter Version 2.4 CC (27 Feb 2026 15:21:21 Debug), AES Auth Supported, Watchdog: Enabled.
This card stores a previously selected old key, authenticates using the binary BINR protocol, receives packets and converts them to standard NMEA ($GNRMC, $GNGGA) at 115,200 baud for standard flights such as Cube Orange+.
In the old 12-channel version, this bypass still works - at 01:07 the NMEA stream flows into the terminal.
But in the new version, VNIIR-Progress changed the keys. Externally, these boards are distinguished by a wide silver edge around the perimeter of the PCB - the mask is opened along the edge of the flange for better contact with the "ground" of the case, which, according to the documentation, increases the resistance to interference from the horizon and below up to 10 times the power. The old "operator" knocks on the new antenna with the old key, doesn't get a response from it and every 4 seconds goes into boot according to its watchdog timer.
According to the author of the video himself, the changes of 12+4 with "Geranium" were stopped due to a key change in April, and now it's time for the mass production of the 12-channel units with "Gerber".