Ukraine already has several effective prototypes of interceptor drones capable of destroying the new Russian jet-powered "Shaheds," and some teams are using them in real combat conditions. Production of such systems is planned to be scaled up, Defense Express reports, writes UNN.
Details
According to the publication, in September Russia used more than 2,730 jet-powered "Shaheds" against Ukraine. The Defense Forces destroyed or suppressed more than 1,500 of them using electronic warfare means — thus, the overall countermeasure effectiveness is approximately 55%.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine has already identified interceptor systems that could potentially become one of the main means of protection against such drones. For now, the focus is on increasing their production and the manufacture of the necessary components.
Why jet-powered "Shaheds" have become a new problem
Unlike conventional "Shaheds," against which the effectiveness of Ukrainian defenses exceeds 90%, the jet-powered variants are considerably faster and more difficult to intercept. Their mass deployment is forcing Ukraine to seek a cheaper alternative to using scarce surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles.
According to Defense Express, Ukrainian developers have already created several prototypes of specialized interceptors for jet-powered drones. Some of them are being tested directly during Russian attacks.
Zelenskyy said that the ultimate goal is to raise the effectiveness of protection against jet-powered "Shaheds" to at least the level achieved against conventional models, i.e. above 90%.