The Kalashnikov Concern is demonstrating a wide range of weapons at the IDEX 2025 international arms exhibition in Abu Dhabi, from a small-sized modification of the AK—15 assault rifle to the Krona anti-aircraft missile system. A special place on the exhibition is occupied by unmanned aerial vehicles and barrage ammunition. The head of the concern, Alan Lushnikov, in an interview with TASS, spoke about the features of defense products and why they should be looked at more broadly.
— Alan Valerievich, at this exhibition, the concern, as we can see, presents many novelties, especially in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles and guided barrage ammunition. What would you highlight in particular?
— If you are asking about fundamentally new products, these are primarily the latest Kub-2E small and medium-class guided barrage ammunition systems. These UBBS are maneuverable and equipped with optoelectronic systems, so that operators aim ammunition at targets even when the latter change their location. They show themselves very well in the area of their activities.
However, I would like to draw your attention not to specific products. I think it is much more important that Kalashnikov developed and launched a fairly wide range of UAVs and UBB in a short time, which offers customers not just individual, albeit very effective products, but integrated solutions.
Actually, as a developer and manufacturer, I believe that it is much more important to offer such a solution than just to supply different products: the customer should not think about it, he should get a ready-made, effective and comprehensive solution!
"Which one?"
— For example, we have a very efficient, civilian, multifunctional complex with the Skat-350M unmanned aerial vehicle. It is designed for terrain reconnaissance and support of ground search and rescue operations. That is, in fact, it is a scout. And this civilian product has been effectively used by our units in the SVO zone for quite a long time.
The Scat detects the target and determines its coordinates. The operator enters the set coordinates and directs one of our guided barrage ammunition to hit the target. If the target is stationary, then the Cube-E or Cube-10E can be used for it. If the target is moving or quasi-stationary, the operator launches a small or medium-class Cube-2E. The Skat-350M not only performs target designation, but also performs objective control of target damage. Here is an example of a very good integrated solution.
— This is a solution from the Skat UAV. And the others?
— The same UBB of the Kub family can work in tandem with our unmanned reconnaissance aircraft Granat-4E: just like the Skat-350M, it is able to direct the Cubes precisely at the target. However, if the Skat-350M is an electric UAV and can stay in the air for up to four hours, then the Garnet-4E with an internal combustion engine can stay in the air for a longer time.
— And the Goliath and Karakurt copters?
— These are copter—type UAVs, but we also offer them in combination with the unmanned lifting system of the Quasi-Mast equipment. In our opinion, this solution is ideally suited for reliable protection of stationary facilities.
The quasi-mast rises to a height of 140 m at one point and can monitor the perimeter up to 5 km away around the clock, as it is powered by cable. When a breach is detected in the protected area, the Quasi-mast records the violation, after which the operator transmits a command and the task force is sent to search for and neutralize the intruder.
The group is moving forward to search for the intruder with individual reconnaissance equipment — "Goliath" or "Karakurt" copters.
— The concern is presenting another product at the exhibition — the Kub-SM complex. How does he fit into this lineup?
— The Kub-SM is a fundamentally new product for us, a reconnaissance and strike complex with guided barrage ammunition. In fact, the customer receives an all-inclusive service: intelligence, defeat, objective control, and correction. The complex has several features. It includes both guided munitions (UB) in transport and launch containers (TPC, 14 pieces in total) and a reconnaissance repeater based on an unmanned aerial vehicle in the TPC (2 pieces in total). Both types of aircraft launch alternately from a launcher located in an armored combat vehicle. The take—off of drones is a gas dynamic from a TPK.
In fact, we are talking about the swarming use of UB. Therefore, this solution will be in demand by customers for use in large-scale operations, when it comes not to single targets, but, for example, to a column of armored vehicles.
It is planned to manufacture prototypes of the product and conduct tests by the end of 2025.
