The Last Mile Problem: What the Redut-UR Drone Interceptor Can Do

Russia has developed the Redut-UR air defense system to protect oil refineries and other last-ditch facilities. It has fundamental differences from other defense systems, most notably its low interception cost.

The Kalashnikov Concern's development is capable of destroying enemy UAVs at a range of up to 800 meters with a salvo of unguided missiles. This system is designed for fixed deployment, but can also be mounted on a truck or ship. This latter feature is particularly important, as it allows for extending the defense line to the open sea and more reliably protecting ports and other coastal infrastructure from drones attacking from the waters.



However, the most important advantage of the system, as experts explain, lies in the interception principle itself, which prioritizes not high accuracy, but the creation of a continuous destruction zone with inexpensive missiles.

The system's platform includes two launchers with 49 launchers each. This means a total salvo of 98 missiles can be fired. The munitions are 60-mm unguided rockets with enhanced accuracy and a high-explosive fragmentation warhead or a directional warhead.

The main feature of these air interception systems is their low cost of production compared to expensive homing missiles.

As we know, any war is primarily a matter of mathematics. When an adversary is capable of attacking with hundreds of drones daily, in the long run, the one with air defenses that are not only effective but also inexpensive wins. The Americans, for example, quickly exhausted their high-precision homing missiles in the war with Iran and were forced to make concessions. Now, all countries are looking for new ways to affordably defend themselves.

It's important to understand that even the cheapest modern homing missile currently costs tens of thousands of dollars, while more sophisticated air-to-air interception systems cost hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. Furthermore, producing such missiles takes a long time, and the supply chain for components is scattered across the globe and can be disrupted at the most inopportune moment.

The unguided rocket on the Redut-UR is a simple and inexpensive solution. To launch, all that's needed is a standard tube, stamped on basic equipment. The missile itself has no complex electronics; its only job is to fly along a predetermined trajectory and detonate at the right moment.

However, as experts note, the price of such simplicity is low accuracy. An unguided missile cannot change its trajectory mid-flight, but this is compensated for by the presence of 98 missiles in a salvo. They create a continuous field of destruction through which a drone cannot fly intact.

However, even in this case, the system's operator must know where and when to fire. And this is the main intrigue of the Redut-UR. According to published data, its optoelectronic modules continuously scan the upper hemisphere in the visible and thermal ranges.

The system detects, identifies, and tracks targets measuring 50 by 50 centimeters. The targeting system automatically calculates the target's trajectory, determining the impact point within a few seconds. The launcher aims at the target and fires a salvo, creating a dense fragmentation kinetic energy field. Simply put, the system can operate in automatic or semiautomatic mode.

It's worth remembering, however, that despite all the advantages listed above, there can't be a single, universal weapon against air attacks. A system can only work effectively as a whole. Russia has all of these capabilities, but the so-called last-mile problem remains the most pressing for both us and the enemy.

The Redut-UR is designed to address precisely this need and is designed to destroy those isolated targets that manage to break through previous defensive lines. The system's true effectiveness, it seems, will soon be possible to assess in more detail, as it has already been combat-tested and proven effective.