The Ministry of Defence (MoD) of the Russian Federation has stated that most of the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) produced in Russia do not meet the tactical and technical requirements of the Russian armed forces.
This was stated on 27 September during a round table “Prospects for the development of technologies for unmanned vehicles in the Russian Federation” by the representative of the MoD, Colonel Igor Ischuk.
“The Ministry of Defense has developed appropriate tactical and technical requirements for unmanned aerial vehicles. And most manufacturers, unfortunately, are not able to fulfill them. And the main problem of non-compliance is the element base,” he said.
According to Colonel Ischuk, the Russian MoD “is forced to go for simplification, for additional agreements, for the acceptance of UAVs into operation in experimental mode.”
Ischuk added that the UAVs most in demand among the troops are electronic intelligence drones. “The most in demand now, in addition to reconnaissance UAVs, or UAVs used as loitering ammunition, are electronic intelligence UAVs – this is the type of aircraft that is most in demand now,” he said.
Ischuk also noted that the Russian military needed drones with an anti-jamming navigation receiver and at the same time an acceptable price category. “These aircraft should, of course, be equipped with radiation warning systems, “friend or foe” systems, they should be easy to handle,” he specified.
Because of these issues, Russia turned to Iran which supplied hundreds of UAVs for use in the war in Ukraine.
Transport planes departed Iran on 19 August carrying Mohajer-6 and Shahed-series UAVs, both capable of carrying munitions.
The use of these Iranian platforms has resulted in the disruption of diplomatic relations between Iran and Ukraine.
