Kalashnikov's KUB-2E new kamikaze drone to be showcased in Baghdad

Rostec's Rosoboronexport will unveil the new KUB-2E kamikaze drone, developed by the Kalashnikov Concern, at the IQDEX 2025 exhibition in Baghdad, Iraq, according to a statement from Rostec.

The exhibition will also feature the Orlan-10E reconnaissance UAV and the S-350M Skat drone. In addition, Rostec will present loitering munitions KUB-E and KUB-2E, designed to strike ground targets.

The maneuverable KUB-2 drones, weighing over 10 kilograms, can be used at any time of day and in difficult weather conditions. They are equipped with electro-optical systems that allow operators to adjust the drone’s trajectory based on changes in the target's location.

In January, it was reported that Kalashnikov had developed a new system featuring KUB-SM kamikaze drones. The truck-mounted launcher carries 14 loitering munitions and two drones for reconnaissance and signal relay.

Details

Kub-BLA (in Russian: Куб-БЛА, also advertised as Kub-UAV) is a Russian high-precision unmanned aerial vehicle and loitering munition developed by the Russian company ZALA Aero Group (part of Kalashnikov Concern). Kub-BLA was first unveiled by Kalashnikov during IDEX-2019 exhibition in Abu-Dhabi. The report notes that after launch, the drone can loiter in the air, detecting a target, and then attack it from the upper hemisphere with a vertical dive. "Kub-BLA" delivers a payload according to target coordinates, which are set manually, or according to an image from the target guidance load. In addition, the drone can be used in swarm mode. A new version with a more powerful warhead begun to be supplied in late December 2023.