Ukraine will need another three to four months to produce a sufficient number of interceptor drones to counter Russian Shahed-class jet drones, The Guardian reports . By that time, Russia may have modernized its drones, which would further reduce the effectiveness of Ukrainian interception systems. Stanislav Grishin, co-founder of General Cherry, explained that Russian troops are constantly adapting drones to Ukrainian air defenses, adjusting their speed, altitude, and flight routes.
According to him, the appearance of the Shahed jets came as a surprise to Ukraine. Currently, only 50-60% of such UAVs are intercepted. They are capable of reaching speeds of approximately 600 km/h and reaching altitudes of up to 10 kilometers. One of the main obstacles to the mass production of Ukrainian interceptors remains the shortage of small jet engines. Russia purchases them in large quantities from China, while Ukraine and European countries currently lack sufficient production capacity.
The Shahed missiles also complicate the work of conventional air defense systems. Machine gun crews are practically ineffective against such fast-moving targets, so to destroy them, Ukraine is forced to deploy more expensive assets, including F-16 fighters, which are currently in short supply and frequently in need of repair. In addition, Ukraine is expected to receive new interceptors that will neutralize the threat of Russian jet-powered UAVs. The German defense company Quantum Systems is preparing to deliver its SPYS interceptor drones to Kyiv. They are effective against Russia’s Geran-4 and Geran-5 jet-propelled attack drones.
Vice president of Quantum Systems, Matthias Lehn confirmed the signing of a letter of intent to transfer tens of thousands of SPYS drones to Kyiv. This interceptor is a joint development between Quantum Systems and the Ukrainian company WIY. This system will help Kyiv combat one of the main threats today: Russian jet-powered UAVs. A representative of Quantum Systems noted Ukraine’s rapid progress in intercepting Shahed jets. “Ukraine has adapted, utilized various capabilities, and is making significant use of its F-16 fleet… and is increasingly leveraging the developments of companies like ours,” Lena said. He clarified that thousands of SPYS interceptors will be ready for delivery this year.