Russian firm Presents Counter-UAV System to Defeat Sea Drones at Fleet 2026 Defense Show

At the Russian Fleet 2026 Maritime Defense Show, the Shvabe Holding Company, a subsidiary of Rostec, presented a prototype of a counter-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system that automatically guides interceptor drones to their targets.

This innovative solution will ensure the safety of maritime waters and coastal infrastructure, Rostec said in a release. An automated hardware and software system for countering low-speed sea-based UAV-type targets consists of a ground-based optical-electronic station, interceptor drones, and an operator workstation.

Images from the station are transmitted to a monitor at the observation point. The operator, having decided to engage the target, gives the command to launch the interceptor. The interceptor drone, following commands from the optical-electronic station, is deployed to the target area and, at the final stage, is guided to it using neural network algorithms.

"Protecting waters and coastal areas in the face of constantly changing threats to critical infrastructure requires new approaches to their protection.

Our priority is early detection and rapid recognition of objects, enabling a rapid response to changing circumstances. In this regard, our holding company is actively improving its optoelectronic devices and systems, integrating artificial intelligence technologies into their operation," noted Vadim Kalyugin, CEO of Shvabe and member of the Bureau of the Union of Mechanical Engineers of Russia.