The new Russian heavy-duty FPV drone "Provod" has begun to be delivered to the military in large numbers, and it's already being used. Feedback from service members has already been received. "Provod" drones are manufactured in Tula, the same company that developed the "Ovod" FPV drones, which we've covered several times. The "Provod," also known as the "Ovod-Pro," is controlled via fiber optic cable, hence the name "Provod." The drone uses unique software for signal transmission, requiring signal processing through a media converter. Currently, the "Provod" FPV drone has a range of up to 30 km, while carrying a large payload of up to 4.5 kg. By comparison, a typical FPV drone flying at this range carries a payload of 1.5 kg. "Provod" FPV drones are already in stock at Russian army depots and units; pricing has not been announced.
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Russian Military News, Reports, Data, etc.
- Thread starter tphuang
- Start date
The Russian Armed Forces will receive new Skorlupa naval drones. The first launch tests of the Russian fiber-optic FPV drone "Prince Vandal Novgorodsky" from the Skorlupa naval drone were successfully completed in the Black Sea. Both drones are manufactured by the Ushkuynik Research and Production Center. According to Alexey Chadayev, Director of the Ushkuynik Center, there will be three types of unmanned boats: the Skorlupa naval attack drone, the logistics naval drone, and the controlled target drone. Testing of the first prototypes is currently underway. Low-cost housings for the naval drones have already been established, allowing for their production in large quantities. The drones will be controlled via multiple channels, including fiber optic cable. The goal of the project is low-cost mass production.
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This looks like this is the latest version of the BTR-22. Has a lot of changes from the Army 2024 version. Water crossing capability is back on it. Not sure why they sent a old version to the Saudi show though(?). It has the BTR-82AT turret, and a hatch behind the driver too.
No more need to call it the "BTR-82AT" turret, as we finally got a marketing name for it, "Ballista". These IFV turrets all got B letters like the Berezhok for the BMP-2M and Bachka for the BMP-3.
Unlike the previous turret, it uses the 2A42 instead of the 2A72. For those not familiar with the two 30mm, the 2A42 is gas operated and the 2A72 is recoil operated. The 2A72 uses far fewer parts but has a lower RPM, while the 2A42 can achieve an extremely high rate of fire for spray and die scenarios. However at extremely high rates, the shots are all over the place, but there's still a slow setting for more accurate firing.
The ATGM it uses is Konkurs, which is small and cheap but range is only up to 4000 meters. In contrast the Kornet is used on the Berezhok which achieves 10km of range. The Bachka uses the Metis which is good for 5500 meters. This suggests the ATGM fit is defensive purpose only.
Ballista might be the new standard turret for the BTR-82AT and BMP-1AM going forward.
Military correspondent Dmitry Kulko demonstrated new production munitions for Russian FPV drones. The new "Kaplya" munition, with a shaped-charge penetrator core, deserves special attention. Tests of similar munitions were previously shown; the video is linked below. The "Kaplya" munition is designed to destroy various military vehicles with its penetrator core. Judging by the video, the munitions are already in active use, as the video shows a "Kaplya" munition being mounted on the "Prince Vandal Novgorodsky" drone. Also shown are 1.7 kg high-explosive fragmentation munitions and a 4 kg thermobaric munition. Technical details are not provided.
Testing of Russian munitions with a penetrator core
Testing of Russian munitions with a penetrator core
The Russian Burevestnik unmanned aerial vehicle regiment unveiled a prototype of a homemade system for countering fiber-optic-controlled FPV drones. These FPV drones are known to fly along designated corridors, making them convenient and safe to operate. Barbed wire is strung across the drones' path in fields, and a motor is mounted on the end of the installation to rotate the wire. As the drone flies past, its control cable descends to the ground and hits the wire. As the wire rotates, it entangles the drone's communication cable and sever it. The device is simple and quite effective, and it is already in use. However, it is not yet in mass production.
The Russian Air Force has received a batch of second-stage fifth-generation Su-57 fighters, according to some media reports. The new Su-57s are capable of being equipped with the second-stage AL-51F1 "article 30" engine. The batch is reportedly large, but its size is unknown. The fighters feature new onboard systems with expanded functionality, intelligent support, and the ability to use a wider range of weapons. The aircraft have been accepted by technical staff and have undergone a full cycle of factory testing. Footage of the first flights of the Algerian Air Force Su-57E is also included at the end of the video; the aircraft is easily recognizable by its engine sound. Algeria has officially confirmed the purchase of the Su-57E from Russia, becoming the first export customer for these aircraft.
Russian mechanics demonstrated an unusual homemade anti-drone system and a "Mangal" for tracked drones. The "Mangal" is mounted on the Russian NRTK "Courier" robotic platform. It's worth noting that this type of protection for military vehicles was first proposed in Britain in 1941. This type of protection is still frequently offered online. The protection consists of propellers with cables mounted along the sides of the robot. The rotating cables are designed to shoot down incoming drones. It's unlikely that this anti-drone system will be developed further, but testing is planned.
The new Russian MLRS "Sarma" was shown abroad for the first time at the World Defense Show 2026 military exhibition in Saudi Arabia. The presentation of the 300mm MLRS "Sarma" raised many questions about why it was developed when the modernized "Tornado-S" MLRS already exists. Combat tactics have changed, and large concentrations of personnel and equipment are no longer used. Mobility and speed are now important. The "Sarma" MLRS fully meets these requirements and is already in use by the military. The "Sarma" MLRS weighs half as much as the "Tornado-S" MLRS. The "Sarma" MLRS, mounted on a KamAZ-63501 8x8 chassis, is significantly more mobile than the BM 9A54 platform on which the "Tornado-S" MLRS is based.
It's also worth noting the new camouflage of the Sarma MLRS as civilian equipment; the video shows two camouflage options. The Sarma MLRS is now called the "Russian HIMARS." The Sarma MLRS prototype was the 9K58-4 Kama MLRS, which was unveiled in 2007.
The Sarma MLRS is equipped with an armored cabin for three personnel and an automated fire control system. It uses all rockets from previous-generation Smerch and Tornado-S MLRS. It also uses high-precision rockets—the 9M543, 9M544, and 9M549—with technical data on the display, GLONASS/GPS guidance, and a flight speed of 3,960-4,320 kilometers per hour.
The Sarma MLRS can be deployed from traveling to combat position and back in just 3 minutes, and a full salvo of six rockets takes 18 seconds. This is one of the best performance figures in the world for this type of MLRS. class. The Sarma MLRS has a target engagement range of up to 130 km, and with the introduction of new projectiles, this range will increase to 200 km. According to some reports, the Sarma MLRS's estimated firing accuracy with unguided projectiles is 0.21% of the range. The Sarma MLRS weighs approximately 24 tons, has a road speed of up to 95 km/h, a cruising range of 1,000 km, and has dimensions of 11.2 x 2.5 x 3.15 m, with a ground clearance of 390 mm.
It's also worth noting the new camouflage of the Sarma MLRS as civilian equipment; the video shows two camouflage options. The Sarma MLRS is now called the "Russian HIMARS." The Sarma MLRS prototype was the 9K58-4 Kama MLRS, which was unveiled in 2007.
The Sarma MLRS is equipped with an armored cabin for three personnel and an automated fire control system. It uses all rockets from previous-generation Smerch and Tornado-S MLRS. It also uses high-precision rockets—the 9M543, 9M544, and 9M549—with technical data on the display, GLONASS/GPS guidance, and a flight speed of 3,960-4,320 kilometers per hour.
The Sarma MLRS can be deployed from traveling to combat position and back in just 3 minutes, and a full salvo of six rockets takes 18 seconds. This is one of the best performance figures in the world for this type of MLRS. class. The Sarma MLRS has a target engagement range of up to 130 km, and with the introduction of new projectiles, this range will increase to 200 km. According to some reports, the Sarma MLRS's estimated firing accuracy with unguided projectiles is 0.21% of the range. The Sarma MLRS weighs approximately 24 tons, has a road speed of up to 95 km/h, a cruising range of 1,000 km, and has dimensions of 11.2 x 2.5 x 3.15 m, with a ground clearance of 390 mm.