Rosoboronexport is organizing Russia’s single exposition at the Egypt Air Show 2026 International Aviation and Space Salon in Cairo held from September 8 to 10, 2026.
The Izhevsk Electromechanical Plant Kupol presents its products as part of the Almaz-Antey Air Defense Concern's joint exhibit.
The Izhevsk Electromechanical Plant Kupol’s air defense missile systems are widely known and have proven themselves to be highly reliable short-range air defense systems. Models and mockups of the Tor family of air defense systems are on display at the Concern's stand.
One of the new products showcased at the air show is the Tor-M2KM autonomous combat module (ACM). The concept is reflected in its name: it is a module capable of autonomous combat operations, without being “rigidly attached” to a supporting base. It can be used stationary as part of a site-based air defense system. The ACM can also be integrated with any chassis with a suitable load capacity, thus becoming a combat system for troops. This is significant given the current trend in the global military equipment market: foreign customers often require their products to be deployed on their own carrier bases. The module is ideally suited for this, further enhancing its export potential.
The Tor-M2KM variant presented at the airshow is a sea-based air defense system capable of operating on ships and naval support vessels. Essentially, the same system can be deployed to protect a city, then transferred to the troops, or installed on a ship. This ensures the rapid maneuverability of available air defense assets from land to sea and back. It is a truly interservice system. Although designed for the navy, the new ABM is expected to find wide application on land as well.
According to Dmitry Zakhar, Assistant General Director of IEMZ Kupol, all the system's components are integrated into a single module, mounted on the deck or quarterdeck. The Tor-M2KM ACM can be installed on virtually any ship with a displacement of 500 tons or more. On medium-displacement ships, it can be installed on two quarterdecks on both sides. The module can also be installed on auxiliary vessels called up for mobilization, such as icebreakers.
It’s important to note that the Tor-M2KM ABM is not only easy to install but also easy to remove. This allows the ship to be quickly retrofitted for a specific mission. For example, if the mission is to provide air defense, the module is installed, for example, on the helipad. When the mission is changed to anti-submarine warfare (ASW), the ACM is removed, and the helicopter is returned to its original position. This fully aligns with the concept of interchangeable modular armament, which is the future.
In 2024-2025, standard tests of this module were conducted, culminating in live-fire exercises as part of the July Storm exercise. During the exercise, the patrol ship Viktor Velikiy (Viktor the Great) of the Russian Navy’s Baltic Fleet successfully conducted anti-aircraft missile launches using the Tor-M2KM sea-based air defense system.
Since 2015, the combat module has been tested repeatedly over water. The Tor’s experience operating at sea proved valuable in the spring of 2022. At the request of the Russian Navy, a test prototype of the combat module was transferred to one of its ships. Having demonstrated excellent combat performance, it has been in intensive service for approximately four years, effectively accomplishing all assigned missions.
The successful combat performance of the Tor-M2KM combat module was one of the factors influencing the decision to “modernize the Tor-M2 air defense system to a modular version for the Navy.” That is, if the first module was developed on the basis of the Tor-M2U air defense missile system with 8 9M331 SAMs, then this ABM was created on the basis of the latest version - the Tor-M2 air defense missile system with 16 9M338K SAMs. (Source & Photo © Almaz-Antey/Kupol)
