From Business Insider · Jake Epstein · · 1m 40s
Ukraine's new interceptors take down Russia's fastest drones
Ukrainian companies are fielding high-speed interceptors to counter Russia's jet-powered attack drones, which have become harder to defend against.
In brief
Ukrainian companies are fielding high-speed interceptors to counter Russia's jet-powered attack drones, which have become harder to defend against. Ukraine is mass-producing new high-speed interceptors after successfully shooting down Russia's fastest jet-powered drones in combat testing. Originally reported by…
Ukraine tests new interceptor drone
Ukrainian company Wild Hornets said on Monday that a tactical air defense unit used its new Sting S interceptor to shoot down a Russian Geran-5 jet-powered drone.
Multiple drones downed in combat trial
A Wild Hornets spokesperson told Business Insider that it was one of several Geran-5 drones shot down over the last few days, along with roughly a dozen slower Geran-4 jet-powered models.
Remote operation from safe distance
Most Russian drones destroyed during combat testing were eliminated by interceptors operated remotely through Wild Hornets' Hornet Vision Ctrl technology, allowing Sting pilots to work hundreds of miles from the launch point.
Russia's fastest drone carries heavy payload
The Geran-5, Russia's newest and fastest variant, can fly at speeds of nearly three hundred seventy-five miles per hour and carry a two hundred pound explosive warhead, according to Ukrainian intelligence.
Russia escalating jet-powered drone attacks
Ukraine's air force said Russia launched two thousand eight hundred jet-powered drones in August, compared to three hundred fifty in June. Interception rates fell from at least ninety percent for propeller models to sixty percent for jet models.
Mass production begins after trials
Wild Hornets will begin mass production of the Sting S interceptor after the trial period wraps up. It remains unclear how fast the interceptors will fly once they enter mass production or how expensive they will be.
In short
Ukraine is mass-producing new high-speed interceptors after successfully shooting down Russia's fastest jet-powered drones in combat testing.
