The nature of the fighting in the zone of military conflict with the Ukrainian armed forces has changed radically in recent years.
This was officially stated the general director of the Russian arms concern “Kalashnikov“ Alan Lushnikov in an interview published by the Russian state news agency TASS on August 9, 2026. According to him, the rapid evolution of technology has led to a situation in which unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), developed and produced only three years ago, are already completely obsolete and ineffective.
Drones from 2023 are no longer functional
The head of Russia's largest manufacturer of small arms and military equipment pointed out that the defense sector must adapt to the new reality on the front line at an extremely fast pace. “We must constantly develop. The unmanned aerial vehicles, the production of which we started in 2023, today no longer have the same demand and application as at the time of their creation. The nature of combat operations has changed radically“, Alan Lushnikov told TASS (tass.ru).
According to military analysts and statements by the Russian Ministry of Defense defense, cited in Russian media outlets such as Rambler News (news.rambler.ru), the requirements for air defense assets and specifications for unmanned aircraft are being rewritten and changed every two to three months. This is turning the conflict in Ukraine into an unprecedented technological race, where electronic warfare (EW) is quickly neutralizing older drone modifications.
New Technologies on the Horizon: Artificial Intelligence and Long Range
To respond to the radical change, the Russian arms conglomerate is relying on new-generation innovations. Lushnikov revealed that the concern has already handed over to the army and is about to send to the front line in the combat zone the latest tactical ballistic/barrage ammunition “Kub-10ME“.
The new weapon is distinguished by the following technical characteristics:
- Action range: Over 100 kilometers operational depth.
- Control: Integrated AI-based homing head.
- Striking power: 11-kilogram warhead.
The head of „Kalashnikov“ emphasized in a comment to News.ru (news.ru) that the Russian military-industrial complex urgently needs a greater diversity of design bureaus and independent developers. According to him, competition between different technical schools is the only sure way to quickly and adequately respond to the changing conditions of the modern battlefield.