Putin Orders Increase in Production of Kub and Lancet Drones

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin tasked the Kalahnikov military consortium with increasing production of the Russian Kub and Lancet kamikaze drones.

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"The producers promised me to increase the production of drones. They are fulfilling it, but it must be increased even more," I said during a meeting with Sergei Chémezov, director of the Rostec corporation, which brings together 17 groups of companies, 14 of which are related. with the defense industry.

Putin claimed that Kub and Lancet "have proven their effectiveness" in the special military operation in Ukraine, where powerful Russian drones have destroyed any military equipment.

Chemezov assured that the Rostec corporation fulfilled 100 percent of the arms orders made in 2022, thus "completely" covering the needs of the Russian Defense Ministry.

He also announced that the specialists of this corporation are now working on the creation of "small radars" to detect drones.

"Existing radars can't always locate those targets because they fly low. Currently, radars are made to intercept planes, missiles and other higher-flying targets," he explained.

In June, the Russian government approved a development strategy for unmanned aviation systems that provides for the gradual increase in the production of commercial drones up to one million units per year by 2035.

Drone production will rise to 370,000 units per year between 2023 and 2026 and will reach its maximum annual level between 2031 and 2035. In addition, 80 percent of unmanned aerial systems are expected to be Russian-made by 2036.