Kalashnikov has adapted the Vikhr missile for a new battlefield role, with the upgraded weapon now being used to strike drones. Alan Lushnikov, head of the Kalashnikov Concern, which is part of the Rostec state corporation, and a member of the bureau of the Russian Engineering Union, said the missile has shown fairly high effectiveness in this capacity.

The Vikhr was originally developed as an air-to-ground anti-tank missile for Ka-52 helicopters. In an interview with TASS Director General Andrey Kondrashov, Lushnikov said army aviation successfully used the weapon against armored vehicles during the Ukrainian counteroffensive in 2023.

The situation on the battlefield later changed. The widespread use of drones, including fiber-optic-controlled systems, sharply reduced the frequency with which armored vehicles appeared in combat. That shift gave the Vikhr a new mission: engaging unmanned aerial vehicles.

Kalashnikov modified the missile on its own initiative by fitting it with a proximity target sensor. The upgraded version can now be used in an air-to-air role and is already being deployed under combat conditions, according to Lushnikov.

The missile is guided along a laser beam path. An operator tracks the missile during flight and provides target designation.

Lushnikov also said the nature of combat in the special military operation zone continues to change significantly. As battlefield requirements evolve, some unmanned systems that were in particularly high demand only a few years ago are gradually losing their former role, forcing manufacturers to constantly adjust.

He noted that drones whose production Kalashnikov launched in 2023 no longer see the same level of demand they had when manufacturing first began.