Russia's state arms giant claims a new drone-missile class

Russian state corporation Rostec said its S-71M, S-71K, and Dan-T jet-powered strike drones constitute a new “drone-missile” class intended to operate alongside tactical aircraft. Company statements describe systems combining features of cruise missiles and reusable or expendable unmanned aircraft, reflecting Russia’s effort to expand lower-cost precision strike options. Detailed performance, production quantities, guidance methods, and operational records were not released. Because the claims came from the manufacturer and state media, the maturity and battlefield availability of the systems cannot be independently confirmed from the announcement alone.