ZAK-30 Tsitadel
Anti-drone gun, point defence of fixed sites
Russian 30 mm anti-aircraft gun system from Rostec, unveiled in May 2026 to protect fixed sites (factories, depots, energy facilities) against multicopters and fixed-wing drones. An uncrewed gun module with radar and an electro-optical sensor fires fragmentation rounds with a remotely programmed fuze that bursts just ahead of the drone. According to Krasnaya Zvezda it has been on combat duty with counter-UAV battalions since October 2026. Performance figures are claims by Rostec and the Russian MoD, not independently confirmed.
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- Role
- Point defence of fixed sites against drones (and, per Russian claims, cruise missiles)
- Manufacturer
- Rostec
- Status
- Unveiled May 2026; tested during Tsentr-2026; on combat duty since Oct 2026 according to Krasnaya Zvezda
- Deployment
- Static; a mobile version on a Ural truck has been announced
Weapon
- Gun
- 30 mm, according to Russian media probably the 2A42 in a module derived from the BM-30-D Spitsa weapon station — uncertain
- Ammunition
- 30 mm fragmentation round with remotely programmed fuze (burst point ahead of the target)
- Range
- ≈ 1 km against fixed-wing drones, ≈ 800 m against small multicopters (Russian media)
- Ammunition use (claim)
- Two single shots are enough for a fixed-wing drone, according to Krasnaya Zvezda
Sensors & threat
- Sensors
- Search radar and electro-optical sight (visible and infrared) on the gun module
- Operation
- Remotely from a command post; automatic detection and lead calculation, operator releases fire. According to a Vesti report (via Rybar, Oct 2026), several remotely operated gun modules are linked to a single command post with AI-assisted target detection, and a few single shots suffice instead of bursts — source: RU Mil Tracker e-20261020-s07; Russian claim, not confirmed
- Combat record (claim)
- According to the battalion commander >40 air targets in one shift and a Flamingo cruise missile shot down — Russian MoD claim, unconfirmed
- Comparable
- Skynex (35 mm AHEAD), Gepard, Phalanx/C-RAM — Rostec claims a lower cost per shot
- Countermeasure
- Stay beyond ≈ 1 km; approach high or fast; saturate with several drones at once
- Threat level
- Medium — only relevant to low-flying drones close to protected sites
- Source
- Defence Blog (14 Oct 2026), Krasnaya Zvezda (15 Oct 2026) — RU Mil Tracker e-20261016-12, e-20261016-s05
News archive 6
Analysed reports from the RU Mil Tracker about this system, newest first. Archive since 2026-07-17.
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«Кто ещё стоит на страже неба» (Rybar: 'Who else guards the sky' – the Tsitadel 30 mm gun complex against drones)
The Russian milblogger channel Rybar highlights the Tsitadel (ZAK-30) anti-aircraft artillery complex as a less publicised part of Russia's defence against Ukrainian drones. While the role of Pantsir systems and mobile fire groups is widely known, Rybar writes, Tsitadel usually stays 'behind the scenes'. The post is based on a report by the Russian state br…
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«Зенитная артиллерия возвращается: справятся ли пушки с реактивными беспилотниками?» (Topwar: 'Anti-aircraft artillery is back: can guns cope with jet-powered drones?')
In an analysis for Topwar (Voennoe Obozrenie), author Anatoly Blinov examines whether gun-based air defence can counter jet-powered one-way attack drones such as Russia's Geran-5. Citing Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR), he puts the Geran-5's cruise speed at 450–600 km/h (versus roughly 170–180 km/h for the piston-engined Geran-2), with a range of 950…
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«Неприступный бастион «Цитадели»» (Krasnaya Zvezda: 'The impregnable bastion of the Tsitadel')
According to Krasnaya Zvezda, the ZAK-30 "Tsitadel" anti-aircraft artillery system, first shown in spring 2026 and tested on a range during the strategic command-staff exercise "Tsentr-2026" this autumn, is already on combat duty less than a month after the exercise. Crews in counter-UAV battalions are said to be shooting down dozens of drones aimed deep in…
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Rostec claims its 30 mm ZAK-30 Tsitadel anti-drone gun with programmable shrapnel rounds outperforms Western rivals such as Skynex and Phalanx.
Russian state defence conglomerate Rostec is marketing its new 30 mm ZAK-30 "Tsitadel" (Citadel) anti-drone gun as a direct competitor to Western systems such as Germany's Skynex and the US Phalanx and its land-based C-RAM variant, Defence Blog reports. In a statement this week Rostec claimed that combat use has shown advantages in automation, cost per shot…
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Российский ОПК в Египте: барражирующие боеприпасы, истребители 5 поколения и ПВО нового поколения
At the El Alamein International Airshow 2026 in Egypt, Russia's defense industry showcased a broad range of export-oriented weapon systems to potential buyers across North Africa and the Middle East, according to Topwar. Among the aircraft on display were the Su-57Ė — the export version of Russia's fifth-generation fighter — shown both statically and in fli…
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Russia markets 'combat-proven' weapons for export at Egypt's El Alamein Airshow, claims new Su-57E deals
Ahead of the El Alamein International Airshow (EIA 2026, Egypt, 8–10 September), Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport and the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) mounted a sales push built around systems Moscow calls "combat-proven" in Ukraine. Rosoboronexport CEO Alexander Mikheyev said on 7 September that Russia has signed new export contracts for t…