New developments at the Fleet-2026 airshow
From June 10th to 14th, the Fleet-2026 International Maritime Defense Show was held in Kronstadt. The Russian defense industry showcased its latest developments in weapons and military equipment for the Navy and other branches of the armed forces. Several premieres took place, and new details of previously known projects were revealed. The specifications below are based on exhibit materials and statements from the developer companies (Zala, Rosoboronexport, USC, Rubin Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering, High Precision Systems, and Shvabe), as well as official releases from June 2026.
Unmanned novelties
In recent years, interest in unmanned surface vessels and underwater vehicles has grown. This is largely a response to combat experience with naval drones In the Black Sea, where relatively inexpensive boats demonstrated their ability to threaten larger ships. Domestic industry is responding with its own developments, and several new unmanned boats (UBCs) were unveiled for the first time at Fleet 2026.
A notable premiere was the Kama boat from Zala, a company previously known for its unmanned aviation (UAVs of the ZALA and Lancet families); unmanned boats are a new direction for the company. The company has developed an unmanned surface platform and offers various equipment options for it.
The Kama's payload weight is 600 kg. It boasts a claimed endurance of up to 12 hours, a range of up to 700 km from its home base, and a cruising speed of 12 knots (approximately 22 km/h). Controllability is maintained in sea states up to 3. The platform carries navigation, autonomous and remote control systems, and optics; it is also proposed to be equipped with surveillance equipment, weapons, and mine countermeasure systems. In terms of performance, the Kama is heavier and has a longer range than known kamikaze drones like the Black Sea drones. It appears that this is not a kamikaze drone, but a reusable platform: a single hull and interchangeable payloads for a specific mission.
Two modifications of the Kama boat. Photo by Zala
Rosoboronexport also presented its unmanned boats as part of the "Unmanned Water System" project and related solutions. Several boats with different characteristics and tactical capabilities are available to potential customers.
One of them, the BEK-6, is similar in functionality to the Kama: it's a medium-sized boat with remote or autonomous control, capable of carrying various payloads. There's also a combat version, with torpedoes or its own warhead; the stated range is 500 km. Essentially, it's an attack and patrol boat: its range is shorter than that of the Kama, but weapon already on board.
Not only new products were on display, but also older models. One of these was the unmanned logistics boat "Breeze" (developed by JSC "Si Proekt" in St. Petersburg). Contrary to earlier reports of serial deliveries of "around 50 units," the craft is currently undergoing isolated experimental tests. In July 2025, according to the developer and the Arkhangelsk Region administration, "Breeze" completed a largely autonomous voyage across the White Sea from Arkhangelsk to the Solovetsky Islands: approximately 280 km in 21 hours (up to 95% of the route was completed without operator intervention), delivering 150 kg of equipment to the archipelago for JSC Arkhangelsk Oblast Energy. Instead of serial production, the plan for 2026 was to establish a regular cargo service with the number of vessels increasing to two or three units.
Ships and submarines
This year's show saw no major premieres in the surface and submarine fleets. The industry showcased established projects, some of which were updated to meet modern requirements.
For example, the United Shipbuilding Corporation (designed by Nevskoye Design Bureau) unveiled an updated design for the large landing ship Cayman (Project 11711E). The changes went beyond increasing the ship's full displacement (to 10,8 tons): the ship received a standard placement for helicopter-borne UAVs and a redesigned self-defense system to address current threats—FPV drones (small attack drones). Drones with first-person control) and unmanned boats (see below). The updated Cayman can carry up to 400 landing troops and up to 45 medium-weight vehicles or up to 12 heavy vehicles, which are the main combat vehicles. Tanks.
The Rubin Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering has once again unveiled a mockup of the Amur-1650 non-nuclear submarine. The submarine is proposed to be equipped with torpedo tubes and vertical launchers (VLUs). Its ammunition complement is up to 28 weapons of various types.missiles, torpedoes, and mines), while the launchers allow for the use of Club-S cruise missiles (the export version of the Kalibr system) or, for export configurations, supersonic BrahMos missiles. It's telling that the project has been on display for many years and remains a mockup without any publicly confirmed contracts. The reason is likely not technical: there simply isn't a first customer for which the series is being planned. It makes economic sense to build a non-nuclear submarine for a specific export contract, rather than in advance, with a future buyer in mind.
USC notes that foreign customers continue to show interest in Russian ships and submarines, with projects implemented for the Russian Navy attracting the most attention: Project 636 submarines, Project 22350 frigates, Project 20380 corvettes, and others.
Defense issues
One of the main topics of Fleet 2026 was the protection of ships and coastal facilities from enemy unmanned aircraft and unmanned boats. A number of such developments, both standalone and integrated into larger projects, were showcased at the show. The maritime field is focused on combating mass and inexpensive threats. Wasting expensive anti-aircraft missiles on swarms of UAVs and kamikaze boats is unprofitable, so the focus shifted to gun systems, optical-electronic systems, and interceptor drones.
A model of the Pantsir-ME naval anti-aircraft missile and gun system. Photo: High-Precision Systems
Defense capabilities are also incorporated into the Cayman landing craft's design: an integrated mast with electronic and other equipment (situational illumination, target acquisition, fire control, and communications jamming) is used. All-round defense is provided by AK-630 mounts and machine guns with enhanced protection against FPV drones and unmanned boats.
The High-Precision Systems holding company once again showcased its Pantsir series of anti-aircraft systems. Of particular interest at the show was the Pantsir-ME, designed for installation on surface platforms. According to the developer, the system is undergoing testing and has proven its capabilities against air targets.
To combat UAVs, drone-based interception systems are being developed. Shvabe is developing another such system: it proposes intercepting targets using a drone with a distinctive configuration, remotely and autonomously controlled, for the protection of coastal facilities or waters. Shvabe's surveillance systems, the SVTMA (Video-Thermal Imaging Monitoring and Analytics System) and the Astron-3V long-range surveillance system, are also suitable for the same task. These are optoelectronic stations with artificial intelligence elements. According to Rostec, they automatically detect and classify small surface targets (boats, motorboats, and unmanned kamikaze craft) at ranges of up to 10-12 km, 24 hours a day.
A promising interceptor drone from Shvabe. Photo: Rostec
Shvabe's optical air target detection system. Photo: Rostec
Current trends
Fleet 2026 identified several trends. The first is the expansion of the range of organizations capable of creating new equipment and weapons, and the expansion of existing companies into related fields (a prime example is Zala's transition from unmanned aircraft to unmanned boats).
The second trend is the priority given to unmanned and unmanned systems: both existing and new boats and UAVs were on display, along with means of combating such threats, both individual systems and methods for integrating them onto platforms.
The main caveat applies to the entire exhibition. Most of the projects on display remain at the mockup or testing stage, with actual production confirmed only for individual prototypes. The declared interest of foreign customers should not be confused with signed contracts. With this caveat, the show demonstrated that the Russian defense industry continues to work on the maritime front: prototypes of various classes are being developed and customers are being sought, including internationally. Whether these developments will move from the display to production remains to be seen in the coming years.
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