MOSCOW, September 14. /TASS/. The Forpost reconnaissance and strike unmanned aerial vehicle is being constantly improved based on experience of its use in special operations, an official representative of the Ural Civil Aviation Plant told TASS.

According to the developer, the Forpost was developed to solve reconnaissance and strike tasks in conditions where the enemy does not have a highly organized air defense system, and within the Air Defense Forces the system is used where there is no enemy counteraction.

"However, now it is being upgraded with other payloads that allow it to solve tasks without entering the medium- and long-range air defense zone. We are constantly expanding the combat capabilities of the Forpost UAV by improving its design and installing new payloads. These improvements are highly appreciated by the crews operating the drone and help them solve the tasks with greater efficiency," the specialist said.

Denis Fedutinov, expert in unmanned aviation drew attention to the expansion of the functionality of the UAV.

"Initially, the device performed visual reconnaissance tasks. It did it well - it conducted reconnaissance from significant distances to objects thanks to the presence of a high-quality onboard optoelectronic surveillance system. At the same time, modern realities dictate the need to expand the set of tasks to be solved," Fedutinov explained.

The expert noted that the Forpost now has the ability to "directly strike at identified targets with its own aviation weapons, which were specially created for UAVs."

The tasks of the Forpost UAV include round-the-clock aerial reconnaissance and destruction of designated targets. The drone is equipped with an automatic takeoff and landing system in the absence of global satellite navigation system signals, an onboard navigation receiver. It can be operated in a wide range of climatic and physical-geographical conditions. The main weapon used on the Forpost UAV is guided weapons.

The Forpost UAVs are supplied to the Russian Armed Forces by the Ural Civil Aviation Plant, one of the leading Russian enterprises for the creation of aircraft-type unmanned aerial systems.

The system has proven its effectiveness during the Syrian campaign and is currently used in Syria. For example, in June 2024, the Russian Defense Ministry reported the destruction of a group of militants preparing a terrorist attack at an oil refinery facility in Syria by a strike version of the Forpost UAV.

Since March 2022, Forpost UAVs" have also been used in the special military operation zone.