“Deploying our unmanned strike systems along the frontline will allow us to seal the enemy’s defensive line for 50 or even 70 kilometers,” Knutov told Sputnik, commenting on what he described as the new system’s “almost 100% accuracy.”
“This means the soldiers positioned at the front will be deprived of supplies and essential resources, and they will be unable to rotate out. Essentially, this is a method for isolating a long stretch of the battlefield, surrounding enemy forces with fire, exhausting them, and eliminating them,” he added.
Rostec’s CEO recently told Russian media that the new loitering munition was developed last year, has already entered mass production, and is currently being used in combat.
He said the system has a range of “several tens of kilometers” and is capable of carrying a warhead weighing several kilograms. It is designed to target NATO-supplied howitzers, counter-battery radars, HIMARS launchers, military vehicles, command posts, and other high-value assets.
Knutov believes the exact technology behind the system’s accuracy can only be speculated on, though he suggested that “artificial intelligence and machine vision are likely being used to ensure near-perfect target identification.”
He also expressed hope that the new system could be paired with reconnaissance drones for gathering intelligence on enemy positions, followed by coordinated strikes using the loitering munitions.