Russian Unmanned Systems Have Good Export Prospects in Africa — Expert

Denis Fedutinov emphasized that the Africa Aerospace and Defense international exhibition serves as a potential point of entry for Russian unmanned systems into the market of not only South Africa, but also of neighboring countries

PRETORIA, September 21. /TASS/. Russian unmanned systems, which have proven highly effective in actual hostilities, have good export prospects in Africa, Denis Fedutinov, a leading unmanned aerial vehicle expert, told TASS following the Africa Aerospace and Defense (AAD) 2026 international exhibition, which took place in Pretoria (South Africa) on September 16-20.

"The exhibition in South Africa is a rather big event in the field of military-technical cooperation on the African continent. And even though South African companies also offer a wide selection of unmanned systems, the Russian products stand a good chance of being in demand here. "This is determined by the substantial practical experience gained from the actual combat use of Russian drones in Syria, Ukraine, and African countries, which is far from always included in the portfolios of local firms," Fedutinov said.

The expert emphasized that the AAD, as a business event, serves as a potential point of entry for Russian unmanned systems into the market of not only South Africa, but also of neighboring countries. "If mutually beneficial terms can be agreed upon, I would not rule out the possibility of establishing joint maintenance centers or even production facilities," Fedutinov noted.

As the conflict in Ukraine has shown, drones have become one of the primary types of weaponry and military equipment used in modern combat operations, the expert stated. "They have enabled a qualitative leap in improving the effectiveness of forces and facilities, at the same time reducing personnel casualties. "Moreover, the intensive use of drones in combat operations is radically accelerating the evolution of unmanned systems--this is where new systems are tested, unsuccessful ideas are filtered out, and proven technical and technological solutions are being actively scaled up," he said.

Fedutinov added that modern Russian unmanned aerial vehicle systems and loitering munitions enable round-the-clock reconnaissance and surveillance operations in a wide range of weather conditions, which allows operators to use them in various parts of the world, including African countries.

Russia showcased a number of state-of-the-art unmanned systems and loitering munitions, including the Lancet-E, Skat-350M, KUB-2E, and others, as part of the joint exhibit of the state arms exporter Rosoboronexport (part of the Rostec corporation) at the South African exhibition.