russia has begun using a new low-observable S-71M Monochrome cruise missile in strikes against Ukraine. It is reportedly the first fully autonomous long-range strike weapon designed to engage not only stationary but also moving targets.
Among the missile’s claimed capabilities is the ability to fly to a designated area, independently search for a specified target according to a priority list, and attack it without human involvement.
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Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) has reported the use of the S-71M Monochrome by russian forces. Investigators found an Nvidia Jetson Orin module among the missile’s wreckage.
Defense Express previously reported that russia had used a simpler version of the missile, the S-71K Kover, in April. Unlike the S-71M, it does not have autonomous capabilities. At the time, we cited russian patent RU2816326C1, issued on March 28, 2024, to United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), the developer of the missile.
The patent describes the concept behind the S-71M Monochrome, stating that its guidance and control system is designed to perform an "autonomous search with an independent decision to destroy a target according to its threat priority."
The Nvidia Jetson Orin module is reportedly used to perform this task. It is a commercially available module that can be used as a ready-made platform for AI applications.
The same module is installed in V2U, russia’s first known autonomous kamikaze drone, which has reportedly been used since February 2025. The drone appears to have served as a testbed for AI algorithms that could later be integrated into other long-range strike systems. There are strong grounds to believe that one of the V2U’s main purposes was to test combat AI under real battlefield conditions.
The logic behind a russian autonomous strike weapon that operates without human oversight raises serious concerns. Under the reported concept, the S-71M Monochrome would loiter in a designated area, search for targets and compile a list based on their perceived importance.
For example, a HIMARS launcher could be assigned the highest priority. If the missile failed to find one, however, the algorithm could move down the list and select another target, potentially even a civilian vehicle. It is unclear whether the algorithms include any reliable distinction between military and civilian targets. russian FPV drone operators, at least, have repeatedly targeted civilians deliberately.
Another major problem for autonomous weapons is determining what exactly is being targeted. A military truck and a civilian bus carrying children can look very different to a human operator, but an autonomous system must make that distinction using its sensors and algorithms.
In the case of the S-71M Monochrome, the decision to engage would reportedly be made and verified solely by AI algorithms developed by russia.
The S-71M Monochrome itself incorporates low-observable design features. Its claimed radar cross-section is extremely small, reportedly 0.007 square meters at an illumination angle of ±10 degrees. Its range is currently estimated at up to 200 km, although russian sources claim a range of up to 350 km. The missile reportedly carries a 250-kg OFAB-250-270 high-explosive fragmentation aerial bomb as its warhead.
The only known carrier of the S-71M Monochrome at present is believed to be the Su-57 fighter. However, integration with the Su-30, Su-34 and Su-35 should also be expected.
More importantly, similar hardware and software solutions for AI-enabled autonomous weapons could eventually be transferred to other russian cruise missiles. This would make the S-71M Monochrome significant not only because of its stealth characteristics, but also because it represents another step toward russia fielding long-range weapons capable of selecting and attacking targets with limited or no human involvement.
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