Russia Hugely Accelerating Drone Production

Russia has substantially accelerated production of drones - that of Orlan reconnaissance drones has gone up 53 times compared to last year while a new factory has been set up to meet exponential demand for Lancet loitering munitions.

Kalashnikov concern said in a recent statement that it will multiply the production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

“We are expanding in those areas where demand has grown manifold and current capacities are not enough. For example, Kalashnikov is creating a (new) division which will multiply the production of reconnaissance drones and loitering ammunition. They have proven their effectiveness more than once. It is not for nothing that foreign media call them the most massive killer of APU equipment," Bekhan Ozdoev, Director of Kalashnikov, was quoted as saying by Russian state media.

Ozdoev added the division will produce ground-based means of launching them, as well as test vehicles, mobile command posts from the complexes for adjusting precision-guided munitions, and special-purpose equipment maintenance equipment.

Meanwhile, Russian defense minister Sergey Shoigu told reporters that the deliveries of the Orlan drones to troops surged by 53 times from the start of 2022.

“Supplies of the Orlan-10 and Orlan-30 UAVs surged by 53 times. Operations are underway 24/7 and they are very efficient,” he said.

Related news: Ukrainian Expert Calls U.S.-made Switchblade UAVs "Insignificant," Says Russian Orlan-type Drones Needed.

The Orlan-30, developed and manufactured by the Special Technology Center, is a further evolution of the Orlan-10 UAV. It is intended for aerial reconnaissance, search, detection and recognition of objects in the visible or infrared range. In addition, when equipped with a mission payload, it provides target designation for precision-guided weapons for destroying fixed and moving targets day and night.

Lancet loitering munitions may be guided to targets by Orlan-10, ZALA or even Iranian Mohajer drones. This could explain claims by Ukrainian media that a large number of downed Orlan-10 and ZALA drones were found "in proximity" to Lancet and Shahed-136 strikes.

The Lancet scout version is made as a "flying wing" concept. They can fly for 5 hours with a virtually silent electric motor, pro-Russian Telegram channels report.