The Krona air defense missile system is undergoing testing.
The Kalashnikov concern has launched a new anti-aircraft system for testing. missile the Krona complex, designed to combat strike dronesIn the near future, it is expected to confirm its estimated performance characteristics and demonstrate its combat capabilities. After that, the system will be ready to enter service and strengthen the defense of Russian facilities against air threats.
At a new stage
On April 13, the concern's press service announced the project had entered a new phase. A prototype has already been manufactured and is entering preliminary testing.
The Krona air defense missile system combat vehicle on the BTR-80 chassis
The tests will be held at a Russian testing ground under conditions as close as possible to real-life operational conditions. Representatives from organizations that will use the Krona system in the future will participate in the tests. This approach will improve the efficiency of the process: testers will determine the system's actual performance and identify potential design flaws. As any identified flaws are identified, necessary modifications and further testing will be carried out.
Combat vehicle and command post in export version
The timing of the preliminary tests and their full program have not yet been disclosed. However, the target results are clear: following all the activities, the final design of the system, all technical details, will be determined, and the system will be recommended for adoption.
In record time
Development of the Krona began about two years ago. The project aimed to create a system capable of countering modern air threats, primarily the mass use of strike aircraft. dronesThe work utilized both proven practices and fresh combat experience.
The project was first publicly announced in early February 2025, when the Kalashnikov Concern was preparing its exhibit for the IDEX 2025 exhibition in the UAE. One of the announcements first mentioned an export version of the Krona-E. A few days later, a model of the future system was unveiled in Abu Dhabi.
Krona-E models were subsequently demonstrated at other international exhibitions. The concern presented customers with two variants featuring a unified combat module on different chassis.
In parallel with international market promotion, technical documentation was developed. In March 2025, a full-scale mockup of the combat module was shown to a potential customer. A prototype has now been built and is currently undergoing preliminary testing.
Technical features
The Krona is a close-in missile system designed for long-term combat duty and protection of military, administrative, and other facilities from air attack.
The main element is the combat module: a turret with launchers, radio-technical, and optoelectronic equipment. It is mounted on a self-propelled chassis or manufactured as a stationary version. Early footage showed a combat vehicle based on the BTR-80 armored personnel carrier, paired with a command post mounted on a four-axle KamAZ truck. Later, a second version was shown—based on the BMP-2 chassis.
Model of the Krona on the BMP-2 chassis
The carrier houses an automated operator workstation. The operator receives air situation data from the system's own assets or third-party sources and controls the deployment of weapons.
The Krona can use two types of surface-to-air missiles. The cylindrical launch containers indicate the use of 9M340 SAMs, originally developed for the Sosna system. These missiles engage targets at ranges of up to 10 km and altitudes of up to 5 km using laser beam guidance.
Full-size model of the turret-combat module
The second option is the 9M333 missiles from later versions of the Strela-10. They intercept targets at ranges of up to 5 km and altitudes of up to 5 km, using an infrared homing head with improved performance.
The standard configuration carries a mixed load of ammunition: six 9M340 missiles and four 9M333 missiles on side mounts. A flexible approach is provided: the ammunition load can be composed of a single type or in any desired proportion.
Tactical role
The Krona is designed for area defense and primarily intercepting attack drones. Using a self-propelled chassis, the system can quickly change positions and assume duty, increasing defense flexibility and allowing for rapid response to changing situations.
Detecting light and medium UAVs, especially at low altitudes, is a unique task with a number of limitations. Therefore, the system includes both radar and optical detection and fire control systems. Their combined use increases the likelihood of timely target acquisition.
A key feature of the project is its minimal number of newly developed components. The system is built on readily available chassis and utilizes missiles from existing arsenals. This simplifies serial production, operation, and combat deployment, and also ensures favorable cost characteristics.
"Krona" will not be the only tool of this kind. In the territorial Defense The Pantsir-S1 missile and gun system has long been in use; it also intercepts unmanned targets and is superior to the new system in a number of ways. However, both systems can operate in tandem—as part of a layered defense designed to engage different types of targets. In this scenario, the Krona would occupy the short-range interception position.
detection radar
Long-term benefits
The Krona's key design features, characteristics, and combat capabilities are already known. Now the system must prove them in practice. Testing will confirm the calculated parameters, identify weaknesses, and make adjustments. Expect more details from the developer soon—as testing progresses, the system will move closer to entering service.
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