Mass deployment of interceptor drones in Ukraine expected within a few months — Budanov

The mass deployment of interceptor drones could begin within several months. Prototypes are already being tested in combat conditions, where they are destroying enemy drones, and the next task is to scale up the production and use of such systems, said Kyrylo Budanov, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, in a comment to Novyny.LIVE, reports UNN.

According to Budanov, the new developments are being tested directly while countering enemy attacks.

We are now testing prototypes not as before in laboratories, but in real-world conditions, and they are doing their job, said the Head of the Office of the President.

Budanov suggested that the mass deployment of such systems could begin within several months. At the same time, he did not name a specific date, production volumes, or the names of the interceptors.

Ukraine is scaling up measures against jet-powered drones

The previous evening, in his address on September 26, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced several effective prototypes of interceptors for Russian jet-powered drones. According to him, individual teams are already using these developments in combat conditions. The president noted that interceptors had been identified that could become the primary means of protection against this threat. Ukraine is currently increasing their production and securing the necessary components.

The issue was also considered at a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief on September 25. Participants heard reports on test results, interception figures, and the experience of teams engaged in intercepting jet-powered "Shaheds."

Following the meeting, Zelenskyy announced the acceleration of production of the designated countermeasure systems. New decisions were also made on deploying production of various types of jet engines in Ukraine.

What is known about the test results

The president had already announced the creation of prototypes of high-speed interceptors against jet-powered "Shaheds" on September 3. At the time, he noted that the developments needed to be brought to the required level of effectiveness. Ensuring a sufficient number of high-speed interceptor drones and low-cost missiles to counter the new threats was identified as a comprehensive task for Ukraine's defense industry and cooperation with partners.

On September 15, Zelenskyy announced the successful engagement of a "Shahed" during the testing of another Ukrainian development against jet-powered drones. At the same time, according to him, certain technical issues still required further work. On September 17, the president announced another positive test result—the downing of a jet-powered "Shahed"—and announced the scaling up of the relevant solutions.

What proportion of jet-powered "Shaheds" are being neutralized

According to data cited by Zelenskyy on September 26, since the beginning of the month Russia had launched more than 2,730 jet-powered "Shaheds." More than 1,500 of these drones were shot down or suppressed. The president estimated the current interception rate for jet-powered "Shaheds" at 55%. At the same time, according to him, the interception rate for conventional "Shaheds" exceeds 90%.

Recall

Interceptor drones against conventional "Shaheds" are already being used by the Defense Forces. In parallel, Ukraine is developing new means of combating jet-powered drones.