At the IMDS-2026 naval defense exhibition in St. Petersburg, the Russian corporation Rostec unveiled a prototype of a new system designed to intercept drones in maritime areas.
The organization indicated that the system will ensure the security of maritime areas and coastal infrastructure. This system consists of a ground-based electro-optical station, interceptor drones, and an operator's workstation.
The system operates according to a precise mechanism, as the image of the target captured from the ground station is displayed on the monitoring screen. After receiving the image and making a decision to engage, the operator gives an order to launch the interceptor aircraft. The interceptor aircraft is directed, based on orders from the optical electronic station, to the target area. In the final stage, the interceptor aircraft heads towards the target using algorithms based on artificial intelligence.
Vadim Kalyugin, a member of the Bureau of the Union of Mechanical Engineers of Russia, pointed out that protecting waterways and coastal areas in the face of threats to vital infrastructure requires new technologies, and the priority is early detection and rapid identification of targets, as well as immediate response.
The IMDS exhibition will take place this year in Kronstadt, near St. Petersburg, from June 10 to 14, with broad international participation and the presence of delegates from Russian and international companies and institutions specializing in naval defense.
