Russians claim to have increased production of Kitolov laser-guided shells that have not even been spotted at the front

The Kalashnikov Concern has announced that it has increased production of Kitolov-2M laser-guided projectiles for D-30 and Gvozdika 122mm artillery systems.

The Concern’s press service stated that since the beginning of the year, high-precision shells have been assembled at new production sites that were opened at the end of last year.

“Dozens of new machines have undergone commissioning, and now they are performing mechanical operations for the procurement and equipping of key parts of guided missiles,” the statement reads.

In September 2023 and early 2024, Russian officials twice reported doubling the production of these missiles. However, since then, only one video of the combat use of the Kitolov has been made publicly available, which stands in stark contrast to the numerous publications by the military of its “big brother”, the Krasnopol.

Like the Krasnopol, the Kitolov uses a passive infrared seeker that adjusts the projectile’s direction to the point where the reflected laser beam is detected. The main difference is the caliber – the projectile is designed for D-30 and Gvozdika 122mm artillery systems.

The same technologies are used to produce both shells, so what’s the deal? A logical explanation could be the limited production of key components, such as the seekers, which is concentrated at LOMO’s facilities. Therefore, the priority in production may be given to much more powerful and long-range 152mm shells of the same type, which can better realize their potential.

The claimed maximum effective range of the Kitolov-2M projectile is 12 kilometers, which is half the range of the Krasnopol.

The same applies to the power of the ammunition: Kitolov is filled with 5.3 kilograms of explosives, while six-inch shells contain between 9 and 11 kilograms, depending on the specific version. With a warhead weight many times greater, these shells are better suited to destroying fortifications or equipment in an indirect hit.

The renaissance of laser-guided projectiles

Before the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war, the arms market was in a situation where the advent of satellite-guided analogs had overshadowed artillery laser-guided munitions. One of the leaders in this niche was the well-known M982 Excalibur shells.

However, modern warfare has turned the idea of the role of this ammunition upside down: electronic warfare systems widespread at the front have become a serious problem for satellite navigation, making the use of expensive Excaliburs almost useless. They were replaced in the Ukrainian army by the long-decommissioned M712 Copperhead shells, which, with some exceptions, proved to be a formidable weapon.

Russian ammunition of a similar type has retained its effectiveness throughout the war. At the beginning of the Russian invasion, the primary means of targeting were ground-based laser target illumination stations. However, with the development of unmanned aerial vehicles, these tasks were largely taken over by drones, such as the Granat-4.

The main obstacle to the use of this type of projectile is the smoke on the battlefield and the height of the clouds above the ground, which interfere with the seeker’s operation. Therefore, guided munitions are not fired in large volleys and at maximum gun angles.