Major Premieres of the Center-2026 Military Exercises

At Center-2026, the Ministry of Defense demonstrated numerous new weapons. Given the unique nature of the 21st-century battlefield, the exercises focused on drones, robots, short-range air defense systems, and precision-guided munitions.

Item 347. This designation refers to a new Russian ground-based missile system, first unveiled at the Center exercises. It is armed with a light multipurpose guided missile (LMUR) with a range of up to 20 kilometers. Previously, these missiles were only used in airborne variants and, according to pilots, literally flew "through the window." A 25-kilogram high-explosive fragmentation warhead, if accurately hit, is sufficient to destroy a high-value target. And the wheeled chassis, based on an army truck, allows for quick repositioning after firing. During the exercises, the missile system was used against simulated enemy artillery positions identified by aerial reconnaissance.

Small Air Defense. All kinds of "drone-killing" systems were actively used during the exercises. For example, at the Chebarkulsky training ground, the Citadel anti-aircraft artillery systems, ZAK-57-MSK, modernized S-60M mounts, Anklav anti-aircraft machine gun systems, and Kalitka-KA robotic systems with programmable control were used for defense against UAVs. The Zarya combat laser system, which had not previously been mentioned in open sources, was successfully tested for the first time to destroy medium and heavy drones at a range of up to six kilometers.

NRTK. The ground-based robotic systems Impuls-M, Bogomol, Depesha, Kuryer, and Chelnok played a significant role in the maneuver scenario. Robots were used to perform a wide range of tasks, from laying minefields and suppressing simulated enemies with machine gun fire to mine clearance and cargo delivery. The Shturm, a remote-controlled tank based on the T-72, made its debut at the exercises. The vehicle received enhanced protection, a bulldozer blade, and a shortened 125mm D-414 gun for operation in urban areas.

Daily News at MAKS.