- Russia’s state defense corporation Rostec has delivered and deployed Zubr short-range counter-drone systems to protect critical infrastructure, according to a company statement.
- The Zubr system uses its own radar and automated tracking to detect and engage small aerial targets, including drones and loitering munitions, with limited operator input.
Russia’s state defense corporation Rostec confirmed it has delivered new Zubr short-range air defense systems to military units, deploying them to protect critical infrastructure from unmanned aerial threats, the company said in a statement.
According to Rostec, the newly delivered systems were developed by its High Precision Systems holding and are now entering operational duty. The complexes are intended to cover the close-range zone around sensitive sites, where drones and loitering munitions increasingly pose a threat to military and industrial facilities.
As noted by Rostec, the Zubr system is equipped with its own radar station capable of detecting both large and small aerial targets, including low-signature unmanned aircraft and loitering munitions. The radar provides continuous tracking of targets once they are detected, allowing the system to operate with limited operator input.
“The system independently detects a drone and takes it under automatic tracking,” said Bekhan Ozdoev, industrial director of Rostec’s weapons cluster and a member of the Bureau of the Union of Machine Builders of Russia. “The operator only needs to make a decision and give the command to engage. During testing, the complex demonstrated high effectiveness against small and high-speed targets.”
The Zubr consists of four combat modules, a centralized command post, and a radar, forming a self-contained air defense unit. Rostec said the systems have already begun combat duty to provide continuous protection for infrastructure facilities, though the company did not disclose specific locations or unit assignments.
Zubr is designed to function as a point-defense asset rather than a strategic interceptor, providing protection in the immediate vicinity of high-value targets. The system’s automated detection and tracking features are intended to reduce reaction time and operator workload during mass drone attacks, which have become more frequent in recent months.