An experimental batch of Russia’s new Gusenitsa universal modular warheads is expected to reach the Ukraine conflict zone soon. The system is designed for unmanned aerial vehicles and allows drones to carry payloads of different weights while reportedly enabling detonation upon impact from various angles without premature activation.

The warhead was developed by specialists at the Ushkuynik research and production center, which previously created the fiber-optic-controlled Knyaz Vandal Novgorodsky drone and several other unmanned aircraft models.

Ushkuynik CEO Alexey Chadaev explained that the concept originated with a colleague who had experience working as a military sapper and equipping drones with explosive payloads. According to Chadaev, similar devices are frequently assembled in combat zones using improvised materials.

The developer’s goal was to create a standardized modular warhead that could accommodate payloads weighing between 0.5 and 4 kilograms. The design also sought to combine mechanical safety and initiation mechanisms with the ability to trigger detonation remotely through an operator’s control system.

Another objective was to ensure that the warhead could activate upon striking a target from any angle while minimizing the risk of accidental detonation during flight.

Chadaev revealed on Telegram that an ordinary plastic plumbing pipe served as the foundation for the original design. Engineers subsequently developed a modular casing that allows the warhead’s size and weight to be adjusted. The system also incorporates mechanical activation components and a safety mechanism.

The project was initially named Termos. After undergoing a series of tests at a military proving ground, the device was sent to the front line for evaluation under actual combat conditions.

Russian troops subsequently renamed the system Gusenitsa. According to Chadaev, soldiers who used the modular warhead gave it positive assessments.

Although testing remains underway, production of Gusenitsa has already begun.

The company plans to deliver an experimental batch to the conflict zone, after which its developers intend to collect feedback from military personnel and compile data on the system’s performance in operational conditions.