The Russian military will receive 10 times more drones by 2024 than last year, President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting of the Russian Military-Industrial Committee on the development of unmanned aerial systems (UAVs) on September 19, RT reported.
The President announced that in 2023, the Russian Armed Forces will receive nearly 140,000 drones of various types, and the rate of UAV production has increased significantly since then.
"This year, the production of drones is expected to increase many times, or more precisely, almost 10 times," Putin revealed.
The Russian President stressed that unmanned systems are being expanded and unmanned boats are also being developed.
“The main task is to produce a wide range of unmanned aerial vehicles and produce them as quickly as possible,” Putin explained. At the same time, he added that it is necessary to “fully meet” the needs of the armed forces, increase the production of unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as the technical and tactical characteristics of UAVs, including actively integrating artificial intelligence technologies.
“Along with the development of drones, we need to look for means of destroying conventional and electronic weapons, to save the lives of military personnel, civilians, protect military equipment, civilian infrastructure and extremely important facilities,” the President said.
Mr Putin announced that the design, testing and mass production of drones will be carried out at special scientific and production centers, of which 48 are planned to be established across the country by 2030.
On the morning of September 19, President Putin personally visited the Special Technology Center (STC) in St. Petersburg, which specializes in the production of drones, electronic warfare systems and communications.
President Vladimir Putin also visited an exhibition displaying robots that have been supplied to Russian forces on the front lines and was shown examples of kamikaze drones, reconnaissance systems and models of cruise missiles.
