Russia Establishes Drone Command Hub In Kamchatka To Boost Arctic and Pacific Surveillance
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
On August 8, 2025, Russia has set up a new Unmanned Aviation Control Center in Kamchatka as part of its Pacific Fleet, as reported by Kyiv Post and first published by Russian Izvestia. This development marks a significant step in strengthening monitoring and strike capabilities in the Arctic and Pacific regions near Russia’s borders. The move reflects Moscow’s focus on safeguarding strategic assets, including its Northern Sea Route and nuclear submarine bases, amid heightened regional tensions.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
By coupling long-endurance UAVs such as the Inokhodets with a centralized control architecture, Moscow aims to maintain a constant aerial presence over strategic waterways and respond rapidly to emerging threats (Picture source: Vitaly Kuzmin).
The newly established center in Kamchatka will oversee the full-scale operation of reconnaissance and strike UAVs of several types, with an initial focus on the heavy-class Forpost and Inokhodets systems. These drones will be based at regional airfields, providing extended operational reach over maritime and Arctic zones. Designed to work under a single command structure, the facility will coordinate missions, collect and process intelligence data, and relay actionable information to the Russian Navy, Aerospace Forces, and other branches of the armed forces.
The Forpost UAV, a localized and upgraded version of the Israeli Searcher II, has undergone extensive redesign in Russia, resulting in the Forpost-RU variant. With a wingspan of 8.5 m, a maximum takeoff weight of around 450 kg, and endurance exceeding 15 hours, it is equipped to carry radar, optical-electronic sensors, and precision-guided munitions, enabling both reconnaissance and strike missions. The Inokhodets, also known as Orion, is a larger platform with a 16 m wingspan, a payload capacity of 200 kg, and the ability to remain airborne for up to 24 hours. It supports a range of sensor packages, including radar and electronic intelligence systems, and is capable of launching guided missiles and light bombs. Both UAVs have a proven operational record in Ukraine, where they have been used for target acquisition and precision strikes.
Compared with other unmanned systems operating in the region, the Forpost and Inokhodets offer a balanced mix of endurance, payload versatility, and strike capability. While lighter Russian drones and imported models provide niche tactical roles, these heavy-class UAVs extend Russia’s reach deep into contested maritime zones without relying solely on manned patrol aircraft. Their integration into a centralized command structure enhances situational awareness and enables coordinated responses to threats, a capability that regional rivals such as Japan and the United States have also been developing with their own long-endurance platforms.
Strategically, the center’s location in Kamchatka positions it to guard critical naval assets, including the Pacific Fleet’s nuclear submarine base at Vilyuchinsk, and to maintain persistent surveillance over the Northern Sea Route and the Bering Strait. This enhanced UAV presence comes at a time of growing competition in the Arctic, where U.S. deployments, including two Ohio-class nuclear submarines, and expanded NATO activity have increased Moscow’s sense of urgency. The center also addresses the geographic challenges of defending Russia’s vast northern and eastern coastlines, where traditional infrastructure and logistics are costly and vulnerable.
The establishment of this UAV command hub in Kamchatka underscores a shift in Russian defense strategy toward integrated, networked unmanned operations in remote theaters. By coupling long-endurance UAVs with a centralized control architecture, Moscow is aiming to maintain a constant aerial presence over strategic waterways and to respond rapidly to emerging threats. With its combination of surveillance reach, strike capacity, and real-time intelligence integration, the new center strengthens Russia’s defensive posture in two of its most sensitive frontiers, the Arctic and the Pacific.
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
On August 8, 2025, Russia has set up a new Unmanned Aviation Control Center in Kamchatka as part of its Pacific Fleet, as reported by Kyiv Post and first published by Russian Izvestia. This development marks a significant step in strengthening monitoring and strike capabilities in the Arctic and Pacific regions near Russia’s borders. The move reflects Moscow’s focus on safeguarding strategic assets, including its Northern Sea Route and nuclear submarine bases, amid heightened regional tensions.
By coupling long-endurance UAVs such as the Inokhodets with a centralized control architecture, Moscow aims to maintain a constant aerial presence over strategic waterways and respond rapidly to emerging threats (Picture source: Vitaly Kuzmin).
The newly established center in Kamchatka will oversee the full-scale operation of reconnaissance and strike UAVs of several types, with an initial focus on the heavy-class Forpost and Inokhodets systems. These drones will be based at regional airfields, providing extended operational reach over maritime and Arctic zones. Designed to work under a single command structure, the facility will coordinate missions, collect and process intelligence data, and relay actionable information to the Russian Navy, Aerospace Forces, and other branches of the armed forces.
The Forpost UAV, a localized and upgraded version of the Israeli Searcher II, has undergone extensive redesign in Russia, resulting in the Forpost-RU variant. With a wingspan of 8.5 m, a maximum takeoff weight of around 450 kg, and endurance exceeding 15 hours, it is equipped to carry radar, optical-electronic sensors, and precision-guided munitions, enabling both reconnaissance and strike missions. The Inokhodets, also known as Orion, is a larger platform with a 16 m wingspan, a payload capacity of 200 kg, and the ability to remain airborne for up to 24 hours. It supports a range of sensor packages, including radar and electronic intelligence systems, and is capable of launching guided missiles and light bombs. Both UAVs have a proven operational record in Ukraine, where they have been used for target acquisition and precision strikes.
Compared with other unmanned systems operating in the region, the Forpost and Inokhodets offer a balanced mix of endurance, payload versatility, and strike capability. While lighter Russian drones and imported models provide niche tactical roles, these heavy-class UAVs extend Russia’s reach deep into contested maritime zones without relying solely on manned patrol aircraft. Their integration into a centralized command structure enhances situational awareness and enables coordinated responses to threats, a capability that regional rivals such as Japan and the United States have also been developing with their own long-endurance platforms.
Strategically, the center’s location in Kamchatka positions it to guard critical naval assets, including the Pacific Fleet’s nuclear submarine base at Vilyuchinsk, and to maintain persistent surveillance over the Northern Sea Route and the Bering Strait. This enhanced UAV presence comes at a time of growing competition in the Arctic, where U.S. deployments, including two Ohio-class nuclear submarines, and expanded NATO activity have increased Moscow’s sense of urgency. The center also addresses the geographic challenges of defending Russia’s vast northern and eastern coastlines, where traditional infrastructure and logistics are costly and vulnerable.
The establishment of this UAV command hub in Kamchatka underscores a shift in Russian defense strategy toward integrated, networked unmanned operations in remote theaters. By coupling long-endurance UAVs with a centralized control architecture, Moscow is aiming to maintain a constant aerial presence over strategic waterways and to respond rapidly to emerging threats. With its combination of surveillance reach, strike capacity, and real-time intelligence integration, the new center strengthens Russia’s defensive posture in two of its most sensitive frontiers, the Arctic and the Pacific.
