ROSTOV-ON-DON, February 10. /TASS/. Soloist, a new drone system that can be described as half-mortar, half-anti-tank guided missile, has undergone successful trials at a testing range in the Donetsk People’s Republic, a TASS correspondent reported.
The system is a joint project by the Kilzlyar Electromechanic Plant and RiVir Center. It was created for use in the special operation zone, alongside loitering munitions.
The new system resembles a missile around 1.5 meters long, and is shot from a special launch tube. The launch is done from cover, via a remote control and, therefore, can be done from a safe distance. The operator can monitor the flight through an FPV camera and, if necessary, adjust its path. The drone – described by a Russian officer with call sign Skripach as "a hybrid between a mortar and an anti-tank guided missile" – can be launched by FPV drone operators and requires no additional training.
"The drone can carry a cumulative round for use against armored vehicles and a blast-fragmentation round to be used during attacks on fortifications and against both ground troops and armored vehicles. Its main features are a solid-fuel jet engine and a detachable warhead, which leaves no thermal signature and thus makes it harder for air defense radars to detect. The subsequent flight via a ballistic trajectory is controlled by an operator, who follows it through a cam and makes adjustments with the help of a remote control," Skripach said.
The drone can cover a distance of up to 15 km and strike light armored vehicles, manpower and fortifications. It is compatible with RPG-7 and SPG-9 rounds.
"The cost of Soloist will be four times less than that of loitering munitions capable of carrying a similar payload. Russian specialists finished designing it in late 2024, followed by successful lab tests. Serial production will be launched in mid-2025, with an average of approximately 2,000 devices to be produced monthly," Rivir CEO Stanislav Gevorkyan said.