The Ural Works of Civil Aviation (UZGA) will be presenting the export version of its Forpost-RE medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) strike-reconnaissance system, along with the UTS-800 ab initio pilot training aircraft, at the IDEX 2025 International Defence Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi. This marks the first time UZGA is showcasing its innovative developments at a foreign defence exhibition, according to the UZGA press office.
The Forpost-RE is a modernised version of the Israeli IAI Searcher MK2 UAV, which was originally produced in Russia under licence. However, in 2016, following the cessation of component supplies by Israel due to US sanctions pressure, Russia launched a programme to adapt the drone. This resulted in the Forpost-R UAV.
The prototype first flew in August 2019, and in December of the same year, the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a contract for the delivery of the first ten systems. A further contract was reportedly signed in 2021.
A key stage in the development of the Forpost-R was the replacement of the Israeli MOSP-3000 optoelectronic system with Russian equivalents: the GOES-4 and GOES-540. These systems, developed by NPP Aviation and Marine Electronics and the Ural Optical and Mechanical Plant, are compact, allowing the UAV’s mass to remain within 500 kg.
According to the UZGA press office, the Forpost-RE MALE UAV is designed for strike-reconnaissance missions, including conducting round-the-clock aerial reconnaissance of surface or maritime targets, and striking them. The system can be deployed in a wide range of climatic and geographic conditions, at temperatures from -40°C to +50°C.
The stringent requirements of the Russian military mean that UZGA initially creates systems capable of operating in extreme conditions, including a wide temperature range, high humidity, dust, and other adverse factors.
The Forpost-R systems have already proven their effectiveness in Syria. They are also now being used in the special military operation zone, in conditions far more challenging in terms of combat intensity and enemy countermeasures than those experienced by US, Israeli, Chinese, or Turkish UAVs in the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Africa. In this regard, they could certainly pique the interest of military specialists from the Gulf states, considering that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates need to ensure the security of their oil and gas fields against terrorist threats.
The Forpost-RE is armed with guided and unguided air-launched bombs and missiles weighing up to 40 kg for its air-to-surface capabilities. The UAV is fitted with an automatic take-off and landing system (ATOLS), which provides for the drone’s approach to landing using laser guidance and video monitoring of the runway. The system enables landings to be carried out in the absence of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signals.
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