Ukraine fights Russian jet-powered Shahed drones with new interceptor

The explosions are now heard several times every day in central Kiev and not since 2022 has Russia managed to hit as many targets in the capital as it did in September. Including the latest attacks, including on a shopping mall and the science academy in the city center, this month will be one of the deadliest for civilians so far in the full-scale invasion.

It is not the hard-to-stop ballistic missiles that make Russia more successful in its attacks. The use of these has decreased, likely because the Kremlin is saving the missiles for massive attacks on the Ukrainian power grid this winter.

It is the fast jet-powered Shahed drones that get past the Ukrainian air defense, above all in Kiev. Ukraine only manages to shoot down about 60 percent of these drones, which go by the names Geran 4 and Geran 5. Of the earlier Russian models, over 90 percent were combated.

One of Ukraine's most important weapons in the fight against drones has been a so-called interceptor named Sting, which is manufactured by the domestic company Wild Hornets. This "drone hunter" is no longer relevant now that the Russian projectiles reach speeds of over 500 kilometers per hour.

To stop the Russians' new jet-powered shahed drones, Wild Hornets has developed a new drone hunter, the Sting S. In written responses to DN, the company states that during tests on the battlefield, the interceptor fought "dozens of Geran 4 and several Geran 5 in just a few days".

What the Sting S looks like and what technology the company uses is still a secret. It is clear, however, that the Ukrainian armed forces have great confidence that this type of air defense will work against the Russian jet drones. Wild Hornets and a couple of other companies have signed agreements for deliveries to the defense.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy calls the Wild Hornet's test results "historic" and has emphasized that interceptors are the main weapon in drone defense.

But the responses from the Wild Hornets indicate that it will be some time before Ukraine can begin combating the jet drones on a large scale. The company states that the Sting S is currently only being tested by a few defense units, but that they are also preparing for large-scale production.

Mass production is expected to start about a month after the weapon is fully tested, the company writes to DN.

The difficulty is not getting faster engines for the interceptors, according to Ukrainian presidential adviser and drone expert Sergej "Flash" Beskrestnov.

- Engines can be bought abroad, there are plenty of them. It is also not difficult to build a small airplane that flies fast straight ahead. The difficult thing is to make it manoeuvrable enough to be able to follow a Shahed, he tells the Ukrainian newspaper New Voice.

As Ukraine follows Russia's updated Shahed drones, the air defense is noticing that they are not flying at the same speed all the way from launch to target. They are also adjusting the height in sectors where Ukraine is trying to disrupt them with electronic warfare. This is a sign that the drones are easy to maneuver and that they will find ways to avoid Ukraine's defense drones once they are deployed.

Defending Ukraine's airspace requires a large number of defense drones scattered around the country. Then it is an advantage if the control can be handled remotely.

Wild Hornets have been successful with their previous interceptors largely due to the remote control, and the fact that the operators can sit with a screen at a safe distance from the launch site. The company states that the new Sting S has also been tested with the same steering technology.

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