Ukraine successfully tests new interceptor against jet-powered Shahed drone, Zelenskyy says
Ukraine has successfully tested a new interceptor designed to counter Russia’s jet-powered attack drones, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sept. 15, adding that the system struck a Shahed during trials but still requires further development.
Zelenskyy said developers still need to refine aspects of the interceptor’s control system and cautioned that more time is needed before the project is ready.
Ukraine has been accelerating efforts to develop new ways of countering jet-powered drones, which pose a more difficult interception challenge because of their higher speed. Zelenskyy previously said 67 Ukrainian companies were working on technologies designed to defeat them, with several developers already showing results.
Ukraine is now waiting for viable systems to reach the stage at which they can enter mass production.