Forpost Drone Complex to Get New Unified Munitions
Russia’s Forpost drone complex will be upgraded for unified munitions, with expanded strike payload options and fully domestic components.
Russia’s Forpost reconnaissance and strike drone complex is set to be adapted for new munitions that will be unified with its standard weapons suite. Ekaterina Zgirovskaya, official representative of UZGA, which is part of the Union of Machine Builders of Russia, outlined the plans to RIA Novosti at the National Security. Belarus 2026 exhibition.
According to Zgirovskaya, the company’s specialists are continuing to refine the system’s flight, technical and tactical characteristics while also testing different strike payload configurations. One of the main areas of work now is compatibility with standard munitions.
The Forpost drones are used to strike tanks, other armored vehicles, manpower and temporary deployment points of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Zgirovskaya said the results of these missions are backed by numerous objective control materials. The system can also monitor large border areas, giving it a broader role beyond strike operations.
Another advantage of the complex is its independence from foreign technologies. All of its components are produced in Russia.
The export version, known as Forpost-RE, can carry a wide range of payloads. These include an electro-optical station for reconnaissance and laser target designation, a multifunction radar station, relay equipment, and strike weapons such as guided missiles and corrected bombs mounted on underwing pylons.
Forpost-RE is designed for round-the-clock aerial reconnaissance and strike missions. In size, it is close to a light aircraft: its wingspan is 9 meters, and its maximum takeoff weight is 490 kilograms. Without additional equipment, the drone can operate up to 200 kilometers from a ground control station and reach an altitude of up to 4,000 meters.