Ukraine’s Military Intelligence (HUR) has shared new details about Russia’s S-71K “Kovyor” [Carpet] air-launched cruise missile on Monday, publishing an interactive 3D model and a breakdown of its components.
On its War&Sanctions portal, HUR says the missile was developed by Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) for use with its latest generation Su-57 fighter jet platform. It was first used in combat late last year.
The missile carries a 250-kilogram (551-pound) explosive bomb built into its front section. Its body is made of layered fiberglass with reinforced sections, and some internal elements are made of aluminum.
Inside, the missile uses a basic flight control system, an inertial navigation system (INS), and a power unit, according to the portal. HUR’s findings suggest the missile lacks more advanced guidance systems such as Terrain Contour Matching (TERCOM), used in US Tomahawk missiles to compare real-time terrain data with preloaded maps during flight.
The basic guidance found on the S-71K may be explained by the UAC’s first foray into missile manufacturing.
According to HUR, most of the electronic parts come from abroad, including the US, China, Switzerland, Japan, Germany, Taiwan, and Ireland.
The missile is powered by an R500 turbojet engine produced within the UAC. It has a range of up to 300 kilometers (186 miles) thanks to its fuel tanks.
HUR said Russia may eventually launch the missile from its S-70 “Okhotnik” combat drone.
In October 2024, a malfunctioning S-70 Okhotnik was shot down by an escorting Su-57 over Ukraine’s Donetsk region, the fragments of which were later turned into souvenirs by a Ukrainian company to raise funds for frontline troops. It is unclear if the S-70 entered serial production as of April 2026.
HUR said the case shows how Russia continues to rely on foreign technology to build new weapons. It called for stronger sanctions to limit Russia’s ability to produce such systems.