Cutting-edge monitoring drone to be unveiled at exhibition in Minsk

Lead

MINSK, June 19. The Belarus 2026 International Security Exhibition, held in Minsk from June 17 to 19, has become a platform for Russian and Belarusian companies to showcase a range of new and upgraded unmanned aerial systems. Among the highlights are the delivery of upgraded Supercam S350 reconnaissance drones to Belarus, a laser-guided FPV drone developed by Belarusian company LEMT, and the first presentation of the Sokol monitoring drone.

Coverage comparison

All the information presented in this article comes from reporting by TASS, the Russian state news agency. TASS correspondents at the exhibition spoke with representatives of the companies involved and with the exhibition's organizers. The reports cover separate announcements, each presented as standalone news items.

Key claims

Russia's Unmanned Systems Group has begun delivering upgraded Supercam S350 reconnaissance drones to Belarus, as the group told TASS on the sidelines of the exhibition. The deliveries include modifications with mobile control posts mounted on pickup trucks. The group said Belarusian security and defense agencies have shown considerable interest in the drones, and that the upgraded version has evoked large interest beyond the years-long trust in the flagship Supercam S350 model.

At the same exhibition, civilian versions of Russian fixed-wing Molniya (Lightning) FPV drones were presented. The Lightning P, Lightning 13, and Lightning 2 unmanned aerial systems are designed for practical training of drone operators, express survey and monitoring in various industries, search and rescue operations, prompt delivery of goods and medicines, and other tasks requiring high mobility, according to the developers.

Belarusian tech company LEMT is showcasing a system that guides an FPV drone by a laser beam, similar to anti-tank missile systems. A representative from LEMT told TASS that a sight system is mounted on a tripod, and the operator looks at a thermal image, keeping the crosshair on the target while laser beam signals are transmitted to the drone, adjusting its flight. The representative noted that Middle East countries have shown interest in the system, without specifying customers. The company initially upgraded the Konkurs wire-guided anti-tank missile system, developing a new sight system and upgrading missiles to be laser-guided. This concept formed the basis for the FPV laser-guided system, which the company says is a low-cost alternative to anti-tank missile systems, with each missile several times costlier than a drone with a combat payload. The laser-guided drone is resistant to electronic warfare, but the target must be within the operator's direct line of sight.

A new multifunctional unmanned aerial monitoring system named Sokol, with a tandem X-shaped aerodynamic pattern, will be presented for the first time at the exhibition. A spokesperson for the developer company told TASS that Sokol was created to monitor and survey day and night with optoelectronic equipment, including during rescue operations. The tandem X-shaped pattern ensures stability in flight, withstands strong wind loads, and increases controllability and surveillance accuracy, the spokesperson added.

The Urals Civil Aviation Plant will unveil the Forpost-RE reconnaissance drone export version and a UTS-800 trainer aircraft at the exhibition. The plant's press office told TASS that mockups of the Forpost-RE and UTS-800 will be shown along with a mockup of the LMS-192 Osvey regional plane, a Russian-Belarusian project previously demonstrated in Minsk. The UTS-800 trainer aircraft, with VK-800 turboprop engines, will be offered to the Belarusian side as a platform to train flight school cadets, with the press office stressing its efficiency, advanced training capabilities, and full Russian development. The Forpost-RE recon/strike drone will be offered to the Belarusian side for monitoring, reconnaissance, and patrols in the interests of security, defense, and government agencies. The press office described it as the first system of this class to undergo a full cycle of factory tests, with further upgrades planned in payload and communications. The plant previously said the Forpost-RE can operate in temperatures from minus 40 to plus 50 degrees Celsius.