The Russian defense industry aims to eliminate its lag behind Ukraine in the development of unmanned surface vehicles unilaterally operated, according to British intelligence.
"On 27 November 2023, Mikhail Danilenko, head of Russian firm KMZ, announced their USVs would be trialled in the ‘special military operation’ with a view to establishing series production in 2024. KMZ has previously manufactured a range of USVs, but in recent months they have started promoting their OWA capability; Danilenko said the boat could carry a munition of up to 600 kg," the report states, which was published on the social media platform X (Twitter) of the Ministry of Defense of the United Kingdom on Friday.
British intelligence notes that modern types of ships resembling high-speed boats, armed with explosives, have become a key asset at sea for Ukrainian forces following Russia's full-scale invasion.
