Russia to Test First Naval Drones in Special Op Zone
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The first Russian naval drones will be delivered to the Russian armed forces by the end of 2023 and tested in the zone of the special military operation in Ukraine, Mikhail Danilenko, managing director of Kingisepp Machine-Building Plant (KMZ), told Sputnik.
"The Ministry of Defense has already agreed on the delivery of the first 10 units, which we must send by the end of this year. This will be the first experimental batch that will be tested in the zone of the special military operation," Danilenko said.
Danilenko added that the company calls this device "one-off boats" that can also act as kamikaze drones. These boats are difficult to detect due to their design and size.
The drone will be able to reach a speed of up to 80 kilometers per hour (49.7 miles per hour) and have a payload of about 600 kilograms (1,322 pounds), with a cruising range of more than 200 kilometers (124 miles), Danilenko added.
The KMZ holding specializes in the production of boats for Russian law enforcement agencies.
