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Bild: Ukrainian interceptor UAVs against Russo-Iranian Shahed drones planned for 2025

Ukraine is developing a three-phase drone strategy to counter Russian UAVs. The plan evolves from reprogrammed quadcopters to fixed-wing interceptors, with the goal of deploying long-range “Shahed killers” by 2025, per Bild sources.
bild ukrainian interceptor uavs against russo-iranian shahed drones planned 2025 russia's lantset loitering munition moments before intercepted fpv drone's footage https//tme/karymat/8922
Russia’s Lantset loitering munition moments before it was intercepted. Screenshot from an interceptor FPV drone’s footage. Source: https://t.me/karymat/8922
Bild: Ukrainian interceptor UAVs against Russo-Iranian Shahed drones planned for 2025

Ukraine is developing a three-phase strategy to counter Russian drones in the ongoing war, according Bild. The plan focuses on creating “anti-drone” drones capable of intercepting and destroying various types of Russian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The battlefield in Ukraine is oversaturated with drones of various types, including commercial quadcopters used for reconnaissance and dropping grenades, to larger bomber drones and fixed-wing recon UAV, FPV suicide drones, and long-range suicide drones. Russia conducts daily drone attacks on Ukraine’s rear areas, deploying Iranian long-range Shahed-131/136 one-way attack drones and putting strain on air defenses.

A Ukrainian officer told Bild that Russia’s air superiority is “breaking our necks,” citing long-range drones, fighter jets, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles as significant threats. However, conventional responses such as destroying Russian airfields using Western-supplied missiles are prohibited for Ukraine by the US and other missile suppliers.

In response, Ukrainian military are working on innovative solutions. According to Bild, the three-phase plan includes:

  • Kamikaze quadcopters. This phase is already actively implemented, with small drones reprogrammed for aerial combat instead of reconnaissance or ground attacks. According to Bild data, small Ukrainian drones strike about 50 Russian recon drones every week. Multiple video clips, shared by the Ukrainian military, confirm that the FPV interceptor drones have been widely used on the front.
  • Fixed-wing interceptor drones. These UAVs will pursue Russian drones up to 60 kilometers at altitudes of up to four kilometers.
  • “Shahed killers.” The final goal is to create interceptors capable of destroying Russia’s Iranian long-range Shahed drones. Bild says these interceptors “must have a speed of at least 200 km/h and a long range (at least 200, preferably 500 kilometers).

Iran’s HESA Shahed 136 can carry a 50 kg warhead over a range of 2,500 km, while the smaller Shahed 131 can deliver 15 kg of explosives up to 900 km.

According to Bild, Ukraine hopes to enter the third phase of its anti-drone program no later than 2025.

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