Russia has intensified the development of naval drones.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation has created an interdepartmental technical council for the development of unmanned systems and technologies for marine applications. According to the Foreign Intelligence Service, the council aims to accelerate the development and implementation of marine unmanned systems in the Russian Armed Forces, including unmanned boats and drones.

The council will work on supporting the development of various types of unmanned boats and systems, such as 'Katran', 'Skvortsov VMF' (FPV), the unmanned boat GRK 700 'Vizir' and other technological solutions that can be used for the development of unmanned systems in the marine sector. The council will also review communication systems 'Hermes', software-hardware complexes 'Ploshchad' and 'Orbita', as well as a universal ground control station for unmanned boats and more.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation has set specific deadlines for project implementation: by August 31, 2025 - selection of the most promising technologies; by October 31, 2025 - conducting functional tests of selected developments by the Russian Navy. After that, a state order will be formed, serial production will be launched, and the new equipment will be officially put into service.

Analysis

The creation of an interdepartmental technical council for the development of unmanned systems and technologies for marine applications indicates the growing importance of unmanned technologies in the military sphere. The council will direct its activities towards the development of various types of unmanned boats and systems, which could help provide Russia with an advantage in maritime space. The establishment of specific deadlines for project implementation indicates an intention to actively move in this direction. However, it is worth noting that unmanned systems require significant effort in development and testing, so meeting the specified deadlines may pose a challenge for the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.