Kalashnikov to launch KUB-SM swarm at IDEX 2025

Russia’s Kalashnikov will launch a new swarming reconnaissance-strike system called KUB-SM at the IDEX 2025 exhibition, which will be held in Abu Dhabi from the 17th to the 21st February, according to a 23rd January press release. 

The KUB-SM system is truck mounted with 16 launch tubes to the rear of the cab, which provides space for 14 loitering munitions designated UB (Upravlyayemyy boyepripas – guided munitions) and two reconnaissance drones dubbed BLA-R (Razvedchik-retranslyator na baze – Reconnaissance relay based on UAV). The crew can launch the drones from a control cabin at the rear of the vehicle, with a gas propulsion system expelling them from the canisters. 

The BLA-R is used to provide reconnaissance and relay information from the UB to the ground control station hosted on the vehicle, as well as commands from the vehicle back to the UB. The UB is armed with a multi-purpose warhead and appears to have a simplified electro-optical reconnaissance system compared to the BLA-R. 

The company will also present the KUB-2-E suite of loitering munitions at the show, which come in two variants, with one for more tactical echelons and the other capable of longer range strikes. The heavier system weighs 10 kg. 

Calibre comment

The Lancet loitering munition and FPV drones have come to play a very important role in Russia’s war in Ukraine. It is used for counter-battery strikes as well as opportunistic engagements against Ukrainian vehicles. It has demonstrated the value of pervasive reconnaissance systems that are closely connected to strike assets and likely informed the development of the KUB-SM. The press release provides no indication of the lethality or range of the drones and munitions, which are important factors in how effective they are, nor does it provide any indication of their resistance to jamming. However, it is common for more than one Lancet to be used against a given target, potentially requiring multiple launches from a single crew. So, if the KUB-SM is able to successfully swarm its munitions, then it could provide a multi-strike capability that would improve lethality.