Ukraine needs to take a distributed approach to intercepting Shahed drones because different countermeasures work better under different conditions
Anatoliy Khrapchynskyi, deputy director of a Ukrainian electronic warfare company, said this during a broadcast on Espreso TV.
“We need to understand that every target has its own characteristics, and we should use the most effective tools for each one,” he explained. “Some of the drones we use to intercept Shaheds have proven to be 70% effective — that means they intercept 70% of the targets. The key is not just speed or capability, but knowing what kind of target we’re dealing with and how best to stop it.”
The expert gave an example: if an enemy drone is flying below 500 meters, a mobile firing team with a Browning machine gun is a good option. But using an automatic turret with artificial intelligence would work even better. The system can lock on to the target, calculate the right time to fire, and carry out an effective interception.
“We need to use a distributed approach to stop these drones,” Khrapchynskyi said. “If a Shahed is flying above 2,000 meters, it’s better to use a small anti-aircraft missile or an interceptor drone, depending on the situation. Every countermeasure has its strengths, and we need to match the tool to the target.”
He added that any weapon that can destroy a Shahed is useful, but success depends on the conditions. “That’s why I always stress the need for a distributed approach. And the most important part is detection. With so many air targets, we need a stronger detection network to intercept more drones effectively,” he concluded.
- On July 4, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to another Russian attack and announced that Ukraine has started using interceptor drones, which have already shot down dozens of enemy UAVs. He also said that Ukraine plans to significantly increase the production of these drones.
© 2015 Espreso.tv
Interception is important, but their is no better option than destroying the drones and their operators at source.
“Ukraine needs to take a distributed approach to intercepting Shahed drones because different countermeasures work better under different conditions”
This is spot on. Various types of ground-based systems and various airborne ones will have to be made widely available to stop the mafia terrorism more effectively. And, like foccusser said, striking the sources of this terrorism is the best medicine. I’m sure that the Ukrainians are working on the problem.
With the use of AI it seems we ought to be able to know the path of these weapons whether they are Shaheds or Kinzhals. If that’s true, why can’t we send drones to sit on the path and intercept the missiles and drones that way?
That could be a viable way of intercepting those drones and missiles. Perhaps the AFU is working on such a solution.