The Russian arms company Kalashnikov has presented a self-propelled unmanned aerial vehicle, KYB, at an exhibition in Abu Dhabi, RBC reports.
This military drone differs from its rivals by also being the ammunition: it explodes upon reaching its target, like Japanese aircraft operated by kamikaze pilots. The kamikaze drone can bypass the enemy’s air defense systems, its designers claim.
“This UAV delivers explosives to target regardless of how well hidden it is. It operates regardless of hidden terrains, at both high and low altitude. It is an extremely precise and very effective weapon, incredibly hard to fight by traditional air defense systems,” said Sergei Chemezov, head of Rostec, the Russian state arms conglomerate (Kalashnikov is part of Rostec).
The innovative device was developed by ZALA Aero, a subsidiary of Kalashnikov Concern, the main arms company.
The company showcased a half-size KYB model at the IDEX exhibition of weapons and military equipment in the UAE. The original drone will fly at a speed of 80-130 kmh, the inventors noted. It will be able to fly for half an hour carrying a payload of about 3 kg. The length of the device is a little over a meter.