Role & capabilities
- Compact aerial reconnaissance
- Real-time imagery transmission
- Primary domain
- Air
- System type
- Reconnaissance aircraft
- Developer / manufacturer
- Kalashnikov Concern
- Origin / production countries
- Russia
- Other names
- Каракурт; Karakourt
- Variants / configurations
- Karakurt-R — exhibition designation
- Operators / programme customers
- Not identified in reviewed sources
Evidence & current status
Military trials are manufacturer-reported. Exhibition and civil-market references are not treated as military acceptance or identical configurations.
Karakurt is Kalashnikov's compact reconnaissance drone, publicly linked to development of the Legioner soldier-equipment programme. Rostec's September 2024 account describes trials in the Ukraine conflict and imagery transmission to an operator. Its distinctive transport-and-launch container is part of the documented product concept, but the release does not provide a complete performance table or an acceptance certificate.
Later presentations demonstrate that the product name remained in the portfolio. Rostec listed Karakurt alongside Goliath in its May 2026 security-forum exhibition and identified Karakurt-R at the September 2026 Eastern Economic Forum. Those exhibition references do not establish that every suffix represents the same military configuration. Civil and security-market derivatives need their own qualification when adding contracts or specifications.
The strongest reviewed military-status evidence remains the manufacturer's trial account. Broad statements that many exhibited Kalashnikov products have combat experience are not a vehicle-specific delivery record. Mass, range, endurance and sensor resolution remain open rather than being drawn from inconsistent third-party tables. The aircraft also must not be confused with Russian naval vessels bearing the Karakurt name.
Sourced specifications
Figures apply to the named configuration. Maximum values are not guaranteed operating performance.
| Specification | Reported value | Context & source |
|---|---|---|
| Airframe | Not established in the reviewed public sources. | Public evidence gap. No estimate or neighbouring variant value has been substituted. Source ↗ |
| Launch / recovery | Compact transport-and-launch container | Manufacturer description of military Karakurt; recovery not specified. Source ↗ |
| Propulsion | Not established in the reviewed public sources. | Public evidence gap. No estimate or neighbouring variant value has been substituted. Source ↗ |
| Dimensions | Not established in the reviewed public sources. | Public evidence gap. No estimate or neighbouring variant value has been substituted. Source ↗ |
| Mass | Not established in the reviewed public sources. | Public evidence gap. No estimate or neighbouring variant value has been substituted. Source ↗ |
| Endurance | Not established in the reviewed public sources. | Public evidence gap. No estimate or neighbouring variant value has been substituted. Source ↗ |
| Range | Not established in the reviewed public sources. | Public evidence gap. No estimate or neighbouring variant value has been substituted. Source ↗ |
| Speed | Not established in the reviewed public sources. | Public evidence gap. No estimate or neighbouring variant value has been substituted. Source ↗ |
| Altitude | Not established in the reviewed public sources. | Public evidence gap. No estimate or neighbouring variant value has been substituted. Source ↗ |
| Payload | Not established in the reviewed public sources. | Public evidence gap. No estimate or neighbouring variant value has been substituted. Source ↗ |
| Sensors | Imagery reconnaissance payload | Sensor model and resolution undisclosed. Source ↗ |
| Communications / navigation | Real-time imagery transmission | Manufacturer description; link performance not specified. Source ↗ |
Documented milestones
Karakurt-R exhibition announced
The suffix version is named in the Eastern Economic Forum display.
Read the announcement ↗Military trial account published
Manufacturer reports evaluation in the conflict zone as part of Legioner equipment development.
Read the announcement ↗
Publication history
- — Added in the September 2026 global coverage review, with sources, configuration limits and explicit data gaps.
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Follow the evidence
Source types identify who makes the claim. Programme milestones and supplier statements should be read in context.