OSICA Kamikaze Drone Revealed In Serbia at Partner 2025 Demonstrating Autonomous Anti-Tank Capabilities
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
Serbia’s Partner 2025 showcased the OSICA loitering munition, a 7 kg kamikaze UAS with a shaped-charge warhead and autonomous video seeker capable of anti-tank strikes.
During Partner 2025 in Serbia the OSICA loitering munition was presented as a compact, fully autonomous kamikaze UAS intended to engage armoured targets. The system was shown in a context where affordable, precision expendable strike assets are increasingly relevant to modern manoeuvre and reconnaissance tactics. The presentation attracted attention because OSICA combines a shaped-charge anti-tank warhead with an autonomous video-tracking seeker and a lightweight launch solution, offering a specific tactical option for forces seeking a balance between lethality, mobility and simplicity.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
OSICA is a clear example of how loitering munitions are evolving from general purpose expendables into purpose-built strike assets that reshape considerations of protection, detection and combined arms integration on contemporary battlefields (Picture source: Army Recognition Group)
The OSICA name encapsulates its design intent: One-time Shaped charge Intelligence Combat Aerial system. It is described as a fully autonomous loitering unmanned aerial system optimised for attack missions. The airframe carries a shaped-charge warhead taken from the M79 Osa anti-tank family, with a warhead mass of 2 kg and a declared ability to penetrate an armoured target to 500 mm. Targeting is performed by an ultra-compact Full-HD camera module paired with a video processor that enables detection and fully autonomous engagement through a video tracking system. The platform is electric powered, has a maximum take-off weight of 7.5 kg, an operative speed of 120 km/h, an operative altitude of 500 m, endurance greater than 30 minutes and a link range in excess of 20 km. Take-off is fully automated from a lightweight pneumatic catapult launcher. Flight control electronics were developed by the Military Technical Institute and draw on equipment whose functionality has been validated on the Vrabac UAS; OSICA can execute missions independently or in cooperation with Vrabac systems.
OSICA offers several operational advantages. Its shaped-charge warhead and the stated 500 mm penetration emphasise anti-armour lethality rather than purely anti-personnel effect, extending the tactical mission set beyond what is typical for the smallest, ultra-light loiterers. The on-board Full-HD video and video-tracking processor enable autonomous terminal guidance, reducing the need for continuous human control in the engagement phase and shortening the sensor-to-shooter loop when paired with cooperative reconnaissance assets. The electric propulsion, pneumatic launch and relatively modest MTOW support a mobile and economically sustainable concept of use, easing logistics compared with heavier loitering systems that require vehicle integration or runway support. Endurance above 30 minutes and a link range over 20 km give a practical tactical envelope for persistent observation and engagement at ranges relevant to forward area operations.
Comparatively, without referencing external models, OSICA’s profile sits between the smallest man-portable expendable loiterers and larger, long-range strike drones. Its greater MTOW and 2 kg shaped charge trade increased lethality for a larger platform mass, while its launch and propulsion choices preserve field portability and simple deployment. The capability to cooperate with an existing reconnaissance UAS indicates a design philosophy focused on networked operations: sensors on one platform can cue autonomous engagement on another, improving target acquisition and reducing exposure for manned or larger unmanned assets.
Strategically, OSICA reflects a trend towards specialised loitering munitions tailored to defined target sets. The capacity to deliver a shaped charge with substantial penetration affects how mechanised formations consider protection, detection and dispersion. On the battlefield level, affordable autonomous kamikaze UAS with anti-armour effect can complicate manoeuvre and logistics for forces lacking robust active protection or layered counter-UAS measures. At the operational level, the combination of relatively low logistical burden and autonomous engagement capability supports distributed operations and sensor-to-shooter concepts, enabling smaller units to project lethal effect without recourse to heavier anti-tank assets. Geostrategically, the adoption and export of such systems can influence regional force mixes by lowering the threshold for fielding dedicated anti-armour loitering munitions and by accelerating the proliferation of sensor-guided expendable strike tools.
OSICA’s technical choices, an M79 Osa derived shaped charge, an onboard Full-HD video tracker, an electric motor, pneumatic catapult launch and flight control validated on a domestic reconnaissance UAS, point to a pragmatic design intended to marry anti-armour lethality with operational economy and autonomy. Its declared 500 mm penetration and mission endurance position it as a focused tool for engaging armoured targets while operating within the tactical envelope of forward reconnaissance and strike. OSICA is a clear example of how loitering munitions are evolving from general purpose expendables into purpose-built strike assets that reshape considerations of protection, detection and combined arms integration on contemporary battlefields.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
Serbia’s Partner 2025 showcased the OSICA loitering munition, a 7 kg kamikaze UAS with a shaped-charge warhead and autonomous video seeker capable of anti-tank strikes.
During Partner 2025 in Serbia the OSICA loitering munition was presented as a compact, fully autonomous kamikaze UAS intended to engage armoured targets. The system was shown in a context where affordable, precision expendable strike assets are increasingly relevant to modern manoeuvre and reconnaissance tactics. The presentation attracted attention because OSICA combines a shaped-charge anti-tank warhead with an autonomous video-tracking seeker and a lightweight launch solution, offering a specific tactical option for forces seeking a balance between lethality, mobility and simplicity.
OSICA is a clear example of how loitering munitions are evolving from general purpose expendables into purpose-built strike assets that reshape considerations of protection, detection and combined arms integration on contemporary battlefields (Picture source: Army Recognition Group)
The OSICA name encapsulates its design intent: One-time Shaped charge Intelligence Combat Aerial system. It is described as a fully autonomous loitering unmanned aerial system optimised for attack missions. The airframe carries a shaped-charge warhead taken from the M79 Osa anti-tank family, with a warhead mass of 2 kg and a declared ability to penetrate an armoured target to 500 mm. Targeting is performed by an ultra-compact Full-HD camera module paired with a video processor that enables detection and fully autonomous engagement through a video tracking system. The platform is electric powered, has a maximum take-off weight of 7.5 kg, an operative speed of 120 km/h, an operative altitude of 500 m, endurance greater than 30 minutes and a link range in excess of 20 km. Take-off is fully automated from a lightweight pneumatic catapult launcher. Flight control electronics were developed by the Military Technical Institute and draw on equipment whose functionality has been validated on the Vrabac UAS; OSICA can execute missions independently or in cooperation with Vrabac systems.
OSICA offers several operational advantages. Its shaped-charge warhead and the stated 500 mm penetration emphasise anti-armour lethality rather than purely anti-personnel effect, extending the tactical mission set beyond what is typical for the smallest, ultra-light loiterers. The on-board Full-HD video and video-tracking processor enable autonomous terminal guidance, reducing the need for continuous human control in the engagement phase and shortening the sensor-to-shooter loop when paired with cooperative reconnaissance assets. The electric propulsion, pneumatic launch and relatively modest MTOW support a mobile and economically sustainable concept of use, easing logistics compared with heavier loitering systems that require vehicle integration or runway support. Endurance above 30 minutes and a link range over 20 km give a practical tactical envelope for persistent observation and engagement at ranges relevant to forward area operations.
Comparatively, without referencing external models, OSICA’s profile sits between the smallest man-portable expendable loiterers and larger, long-range strike drones. Its greater MTOW and 2 kg shaped charge trade increased lethality for a larger platform mass, while its launch and propulsion choices preserve field portability and simple deployment. The capability to cooperate with an existing reconnaissance UAS indicates a design philosophy focused on networked operations: sensors on one platform can cue autonomous engagement on another, improving target acquisition and reducing exposure for manned or larger unmanned assets.
Strategically, OSICA reflects a trend towards specialised loitering munitions tailored to defined target sets. The capacity to deliver a shaped charge with substantial penetration affects how mechanised formations consider protection, detection and dispersion. On the battlefield level, affordable autonomous kamikaze UAS with anti-armour effect can complicate manoeuvre and logistics for forces lacking robust active protection or layered counter-UAS measures. At the operational level, the combination of relatively low logistical burden and autonomous engagement capability supports distributed operations and sensor-to-shooter concepts, enabling smaller units to project lethal effect without recourse to heavier anti-tank assets. Geostrategically, the adoption and export of such systems can influence regional force mixes by lowering the threshold for fielding dedicated anti-armour loitering munitions and by accelerating the proliferation of sensor-guided expendable strike tools.
OSICA’s technical choices, an M79 Osa derived shaped charge, an onboard Full-HD video tracker, an electric motor, pneumatic catapult launch and flight control validated on a domestic reconnaissance UAS, point to a pragmatic design intended to marry anti-armour lethality with operational economy and autonomy. Its declared 500 mm penetration and mission endurance position it as a focused tool for engaging armoured targets while operating within the tactical envelope of forward reconnaissance and strike. OSICA is a clear example of how loitering munitions are evolving from general purpose expendables into purpose-built strike assets that reshape considerations of protection, detection and combined arms integration on contemporary battlefields.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
