During the UMEX 2026 in the United Arab Emirates, russia's JSC Kalashnikov Concern, together with the Izhevsk Unmanned Systems Research and Production Associated LLC, presented a new, apparently second export variant of the Kub-2-2E strike drone and also revealed its characteristics and capabilities.
The previous variant of the Kub-2E was supposed to be unveiled at the beginning of 2025, during the IDEX 2025 exhibition. However, its specifications were never announced. The presentation of the Kub-2-2E was reported by Army Recognition.
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It was announced that the new Kub-2-2E has a total weight of approximately 14.5 kg, with a 4.6 kg thermobaric warhead. Its range is 40 km, the maximum speed is up to 150 km/h, and the flight duration is up to 25 minutes. The UAV is launched from a catapult.
From Defense Express we would like to add that The differences between the standard and export versions remain unknown, although available photographs suggest a slightly altered shape of the vertical tail fin. Earlier reports stated that the Kub-2 features a 10 kg warhead, offered in two variants for use against personnel and armored vehicles.
However, it was later clarified that the warhead weighs just 4.6 kg, and that only the thermobaric variant was shown among those announced at UMEX 2026. Other variants are likely to exist, including cumulative and high-explosive fragmentation warheads. Given the drone’s total weight of 14.5 kg, it is unlikely that the warhead in the standard variant is heavier.
Based on the described capabilities, the Kub-2-2E likely features three guidance modes: navigation to a stationary target using preprogrammed coordinates, manual operator control via a camera, and autonomous electro-optical guidance, which implies the presence of target-homing capability or artificial intelligence.
Previous reports indicated that Kub-2 drones were equipped with artificial intelligence, and the enemy even released footage of them in action.
In general, the Kub family of strike drones has been used by russians since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022. The first reported instance of a Ukrainian anti-aircraft drone striking a new variant of the Kub-2 — the export variant, Kub-2-2E — occurred on January 7, 2025.
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