Ukraine Drone Countermeasures Escalate to the Air
In the Russian Armed Forces, the use of a new type of anti-Ukrainian drone equipment is becoming increasingly widespread. Previously, this field was mainly dominated by air defense missile systems and helicopters, but now, the role of countering drones is being taken over by other drones, i.e., "intercepting drones," and the equipment involved is not limited to that.
Although Russia has achieved significant success in countering Ukrainian long-range (fixed-wing) drones, these drones remain a challenging target for most modern air defense weapons. Many air defense missile systems are simply unable to detect and shoot down drones flying at extremely low altitudes — these systems were originally designed for other types of aerial targets. Using some air defense missiles to attack drones is also unprofitable, as their cost can be hundreds of times higher than that of the drones themselves.
Moreover, using powerful air defense missiles over residential areas carries high risks: if they accidentally hit residential areas, the damage and casualties could be far greater than those caused by suicide drones — after all, the warhead weight of the latter is relatively small, between 50 to 90 kilograms. Such accidental hits have already become common in Ukraine.
Therefore, the most promising solution currently for dealing with the "drone threat" is to deploy "intercepting drones." In the winter of this year, it was reported that Russian designers had developed such equipment, and now there are continuous reports indicating that it has been deployed in combat, and first confirmed by the feedback from the enemy (Ukraine).
Ukrainian media reported that Russian air defense forces successfully used intercepting drones to shoot down the FP-1 drones of the Ukrainian armed forces, the "Lytuy" (Лютый) drones, and drones modified from E-300 light aircraft — the Ukrainian military used these drones to attack the depths of Russia.
The report did not mention the specific model of the intercepting drones used by the Russians. However, retired Colonel Yuri Knutov, director of the Air Defense Museum, believes that it is likely the Russian "Yelka" (transliteration, meaning "Christmas Tree") intercepting drone. This drone is used by the Russian air defense missile forces to counter almost all types of enemy drones, including reconnaissance drones, long-range suicide drones, and even FPV (First Person View) drones.
According to this expert, the usage process of such intercepting drones has been fully verified. In the autumn of 2024, the Russian military conducted the first live-fire test against enemy drones; in recent times, this equipment has been widely used in the Special Military Operation (SVO) areas and the rear areas, to protect military facilities and infrastructure.
The launch device of the "Yelka" drone is a reusable portable catapult, which looks like a large pistol. The operator just needs to aim the device at the enemy drone and complete the launch, after which the automatic guidance system with artificial intelligence elements takes over the subsequent work.
The optical-electronic module of the "Yelka" can identify targets with a wingspan of about 100 centimeters at a distance of 700 to 1000 meters. This drone can autonomously capture targets, pursue them, and launch attacks, which is similar to portable air defense missiles (PZRK) that follow the "fire and forget" principle. The "Yelka" uses a central fuselage with two sets of X-shaped wings, similar to the "Kamikaze" drone, and can maintain excellent maneuverability in all directions — enemy drones find it extremely difficult to escape its pursuit. Its target strike radius reaches 5 kilometers, and its strike altitude is 2 kilometers, with a body weight of only 2 kilograms.
Notably, the "Yelka" drone does not currently carry a warhead (although space is reserved for installation). Instead, it features an enhanced fuselage, which destroys enemy drones through "collision," rendering them inoperable. The flight speed of the "Yelka" drone, 200 to 250 kilometers per hour, not only allows it to catch up with the target during interception, but also enables it to pursue the enemy drone when it tries to escape.
Additionally, since the "Yelka" does not carry a warhead, the operational threshold is significantly reduced — not only soldiers, but security personnel can also use it to protect civilian facilities, while minimizing the cumbersome procedures in the operation process.
Furthermore, the training process for "Yelka" operators is very simple, requiring no large amount of time or complex simulators, essentially just completing one guided training session to be qualified for the job. Currently, the manufacturer of this drone is working on developing intercepting drones for protecting industrial and civilian facilities, and in the future, the reliance on human operation for such equipment will be further reduced.
Several institutions in Russia are conducting research and development on air defense drones. Just recently, the "BASiRTK" National Research Center released test footage of its vertically takeoff and landing intercepting drone on the Internet, which can also strike various types of drones, including long-range drones. The Moscow Aviation Institute's (MAI) special design bureau has developed an intercepting drone equipped with a 12-gauge "Vepri-12 Molot" (transliteration, meaning "Boar - 12 Hammer") smoothbore carbine, capable of shooting down enemy drones ranging from small FPV drones to large fixed-wing drones. The "Almaz-Antey" group in the air defense sector has also adopted a similar approach, recently applying for a patent for an intercepting drone that is also equipped with a lightweight weapon system for shooting down enemy drones.
Not only large companies and design bureaus are developing intercepting drones, but also small workshops (including those in frontline areas) are involved. The developers of anti-enemy "FPV drones" often also adopt the "kinetic strike" method — rather than equipping the drones with ammunition, they add spike components. This design makes this "micro-collision weapon" reusable, sometimes even able to be used multiple times in combat.
Ukraine is also producing intercepting drones, but its production process has been significantly hindered due to the precise strikes by Russian forces on Ukraine's military-industrial complex (VPK) production facilities. In addition, a representative of the Ukrainian air defense forces recently stated that the increased flight height of the Russian "Geranium-2" and "Geranium-3" drones poses great difficulties for the operations of Ukraine's intercepting drones. However, Ukraine continues to push forward with the relevant deployment — it was reported at the end of October that Ukraine is forming a new air force unit, which will specialize in using air defense drone systems to intercept enemy drones.
Recently, there were also reports that the UK and Ukraine plan to jointly produce such drones. This cooperation may revolve around the UK's latest "MARSS Interceptor" intercepting drone — this drone, similar to the "Yelka", destroys enemy drones through kinetic impact, and its performance parameters are relatively close. Notably, the UK plans to achieve "multiple use" for this drone: it can collide with multiple enemy drones in a single flight, then return to base for maintenance to be reused. Unlike the "Yelka", this British drone requires a much larger box-type launch device for launching.
Recently, the German company "Quantum Systems" also demonstrated its "Jäger" (German, meaning "Hunter") intercepting drone to the German Federal Armed Forces. This drone is equipped with a rocket engine and can shoot down enemy drones within a range of 25 kilometers. The company particularly emphasized the economy of this equipment — after mass production, its unit price will not exceed several thousand euros.
At the 2025 DSEI (International Defense and Security Equipment) exhibition held in London in September, Israel's Rafael Company announced the development plans for two new intercepting drones: one is the "Hunter Eagle" (Hunter Hawk) for intercepting medium and small drones, and the other is the "Ghost Hunter" (Ghost Hunter) capable of shooting down large drones, fixed-wing aircraft, and helicopters. It is expected that the former will enter mass production next year, while the latter is planned to start mass production in 2027.
Evidently, the development of intercepting drones is taking place globally. Clearly, such equipment will soon become one of the core means of countering enemy drones. It is worth noting that Russia is leading in this field — when other countries are still researching or just starting the mass production of intercepting drones, Russia's air defense drones have already been widely deployed in combat, not only protecting its own airspace, but also accumulating valuable experience for subsequent equipment upgrades and new developments.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7561694209317618210/
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