Russia tests fiber-optic naval drone designed to carry FPV drones
Russians showcase tests of new fiber-optic unmanned surface vessels, Skorlupa (Photo: Defense Express)
Russia has showcased tests of a new unmanned surface vessel called Skorlupa, which uses fiber-optic control and is designed to carry FPV drones, according to Defense Express.
Russian sources claim the vessel has already entered mass production. Defense Express analysts note that Skorlupa’s defining feature is its fiber-optic communications link, which is intended to make it more resistant to electronic warfare. The boat also reportedly includes a dedicated internal compartment with sliding doors for launching FPV drones.
“Skorlupa is likely the first such platform that the Russians claim is already being mass-produced,” Defense Express wrote. “Compared with earlier prototypes, Skorlupa does appear closer to a serial production model.”
According to analysts, the system could pose a potential threat to Ukraine’s coastal cities, including Mykolaiv and Odesa, which lie roughly 60 kilometers (about 37 miles) from Russian-occupied territory.
Commenting on the reports, Ukrainian Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk said Ukraine is factoring in the possibility that Russia could attempt to deploy such maritime drones, though there is currently no confirmation they have been used operationally.
“We treat any such threats as real and plan based on potential risks,” Pletenchuk said during a national television broadcast. “I cannot say that I have confirmed cases of their use. These drones are dangerous even to those who operate them. But when it comes to risk assessment, we assume the enemy may try to use such means of attack and take this into account in our day-to-day work.”
Pletenchuk added that Russia is attempting to replicate technologies and tactics that Ukraine has successfully employed, but emphasized that developing and effectively using such systems takes time.
In November 2025, Defense Express reported that Russia was also developing a maritime drone intended to launch Shahed-type drones, though analysts said it would have little practical value for attacks on Ukraine.
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