VAZ‑1111 adapted by Russian forces for Molniya drone deployment
Russian military forces have repurposed a civilian VAZ-1111 Oka car into a mobile launch platform for Molniya-series kamikaze drones, as reported by Defense Express. Footage released by Russian state-affiliated media shows the compact vehicle stripped of its doors and rear roof section, with an inclined launch rail welded directly onto the chassis.
As Defense Express notes, this setup allows for the deployment of Molniya drones, with operators remaining close to the vehicle during launch, though the system permits remote initiation for safety.
While this adaptation appears to be an isolated case, as Defence Express highlights, the utilisation of civilian vehicles for military purposes has become increasingly common among both Russian and Ukrainian forces, driven by the exigencies of the battlefield. The portal, however, raises questions about whether the solution will prove effective in the future.
The VAZ-1111 Oka is no longer in production. It has previously been observed in conflict zones serving as unprotected troop transport. Russian forces have also modified various civilian vehicles, including trucks and buses, equipping them with anti-drone slat armour or electronic warfare systems. However, these makeshift protections have often proven insufficient against Ukrainian drone attacks.
"Other types of cars have also seen transformations by field engineers, in particular, to support assault operations. Light vehicles, trucks, and even buses outfitted with anti-drone slat armour, or electronic warfare systems, were occasionally spotted and reported by Ukrainian forces, often among the units destroyed by drones despite the band-aid protection," notes the portal.
"This drone family has been increasingly employed by russian forces and improved as a technology, including the integration of a thermobaric warhead and recently even the mothership function for smaller FPV drones," notes the portal.
