Taking advantage of the International IDEX 2025 Exhibition, held from February 17 to 21 in the United Arab Emirates, various companies from the Russian Federation’s defense industry are showcasing their latest developments. Among them stands out Ural Works of Civil Aviation (JSC UWCA), a company specializing in the production of unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) for the Russian Armed Forces.
The experience gained from operations in Ukraine has allowed the company to maintain a streamlined feedback loop with the Russian Ministry of Defense to meet the operational requirements of the Armed Forces. One of the key developments has been the provision of Forpost-R reconnaissance and attack UCAVs, currently deployed in combat operations.
The refinement of the Forpost-R design, originally based on the Israeli IAI Searcher UAV, has led to the development of a new version aimed at potential export customers. Officially designated as the Forpost-RE, this drone has been introduced at IDEX 2025 as an advanced reconnaissance and attack UAV capable of executing a wide range of missions across diverse geographical environments, operating in temperatures ranging from -40°C to +50°C.
Designed with austere operational environments in mind, the Forpost-RE can take off and land from unprepared runways, even without the assistance of a satellite navigation system.
In terms of armament, thanks to its payload capacity, it can employ both guided and unguided munitions (such as the UAB-20 and KAB-20), as well as missiles, in configurations suited for armed reconnaissance missions. In addition to weaponry, its payloads can include thermal cameras and gyro-stabilized cameras.
JSC UWCA has emphasized: “The market volume for medium-range UAVs is enormous, and we can secure a niche within it, particularly due to those states that, for political reasons, choose to diversify their equipment purchases rather than relying on a single supplier. The practice of the Special Military Operation has demonstrated that the attack capabilities of drones in this class are limited and not particularly necessary; rather, target designation, reconnaissance, and the ability to patrol vast areas (coastlines, borders, etc.) are much more important.”
They added: “The competitive advantage of the Russian Forpost-RE drone is its complete immunity to sanctions, as all its components are of Russian manufacture. Moreover, it benefits from years of successful experience in real combat zones, including the Middle East. At the request of foreign clients, JSC UWCA specialists are prepared to equip the system with new payloads tailored to the buyer’s needs.”
The Russian company has highlighted the Forpost-RE’s export potential, particularly for Middle Eastern clients seeking smaller, highly capable UAVs with an excellent balance between acquisition cost and operational expenses.
Finally, specialist Denis Fedutinov stated:“The strict requirements of Russian military operators compel developers to ensure from the outset that their systems are capable of operating across a wide temperature range, as well as in adverse conditions, including high humidity, dust, etc. The Forpost systems have already been successfully deployed by the Russian Armed Forces in a geographically close region: Syria. The Russian system has been used under significantly harsher conditions in terms of combat activity and enemy countermeasures than those faced by U.S., Israeli, Chinese, or Turkish drones operating in the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Africa.”
