Ukraine has developed a new high-speed interceptor drone designed to engage Russian unmanned aircraft at altitudes of up to 10,000 meters, with the first units expected to begin combat operations in August.
“The first drones will be sent on combat missions next week. We are confident in the result because we have nine months of interception experience and understand the tactics of their use well. The project was implemented jointly with the air defense personnel from Odesa,”
UV Military Cluster said.
The vertical-takeoff-and-landing drone is available in two configurations intended for different operational scenarios. A wingless version can reach speeds of up to 365 kilometers per hour, while the winged model has a maximum speed of 310 kilometers per hour.
The aircraft has a maximum flight range of 45 kilometers and a tactical operating radius of approximately 25 kilometers. It can remain airborne for up to 30 minutes, according to specifications provided by the manufacturer.
Although its standard operating altitude is listed as 200 meters, the drone is designed to climb as high as 10,000 meters. It can carry a payload weighing up to 0.5 kilograms.
The interceptor can be equipped with digital or analogue cameras, as well as thermal-imaging or low-light optical systems, depending on mission requirements.
Its control system uses a frequency-hopping radio signal operating across the 100–3,020 MHz range, while video transmission is supported between 1 and 13 GHz. The aircraft also provides full telemetry during flight.
UV Military Cluster said the interceptor’s internal battery runs through the body of the aircraft, distributing weight more evenly and preventing excessive loading of the forward section.
The system requires approximately 10 minutes to deploy and eight minutes to pack away. It is designed to operate in temperatures ranging from minus 20 to plus 40 degrees Celsius and remain stable in wind speeds exceeding seven meters per second.
UV Military Cluster said it currently has the capacity to manufacture as many as 5,000 interceptors per month, despite the aircraft only recently entering the market.
The following channels are used for control and data transmission:
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- Control channel: RF radio signal (20–100 MHz in the range 100–3020 MHz / GEMINI).
- Video channel: operates in the 1.0–13 GHz range.
- Telemetry: fully supported
Flight range — 45 km, tactical — 25 km, maximum duration of stay in the air — 30 minutes. Operating flight altitude — 200 m, maximum — 10,000 m. The operating temperature range is from -20 °C to +40 °C, while the drone remains stable even at wind speeds of more than 7 m/s.
The “Skazheny” anti-aircraft interceptor was developed based on the Sting, P1-SUN, and Strela models in cooperation with the Odessa air defence forces.
The drones are available in two configurations: a high-speed wingless version and a winged version for different application scenarios. The winged version accelerates to 310 km/h, while the wingless version accelerates to 365 km/h.
Sources: UNITED24MEDIA; MILITARNYI