Drohnen: „Wir brauchen dringend eine Lösung“: Die Ukraine sucht den „Schahed-Killer“

The ongoing aerial war in Ukraine has been turning in Russia's favor over recent weeks, as the country has massively expanded its production of ballistic missiles, which Ukraine is largely unprotected against. The Geran 5, the latest development of the Iranian Schahed drone, is a fast drone with a jet engine that overwhelms Ukraine's air defense.

Ukrainian weapon manufacturers are working intensively to find a solution for both problems. In talks with Handelsblatt, several companies expressed confidence in having a countermeasure against the Geran 5 in use this year, with some even predicting weeks instead of months. A catch drone with rigid wings, a radiation drive, and a speed of 500 to 600 km/h is expected to receive government approval.

The company can produce 1000 catch drones per month, according to a manager who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons. Once certified, the drone can be sent to the military. There have been constant air alarms due to the new Russian drones. Russian President Volodymyr Zelensky has given priority to finding the "Schahed-Killer".

The military has tested new catch drones successfully, he announced multiple times in recent days. It was not the first time such tests were conducted, as dozens of companies are competing in the race. Vadym Kuschnikow, CEO of the news portal "Militarnyi", expects an operational solution by November, with at least three firms in the final stage of development.

In July, Russia deployed 5 times more jet drones than in June, making up 60% of all Russian drones over Ukraine. The Geran 5, still called Schahed in Ukraine, has changed significantly from its original version. It is long and thin like a missile, allowing for a higher speed of up to 600 km/h. The air defense has less reaction time as Schaheds now fly at a height of 6 kilometers before crashing like a ballistic missile.

Storkway, a Ukrainian drone manufacturer, is producing a radar and electronic jammer called AI-Petri to disrupt the communication of Schaheds. However, Schaheds are too fast, and their hit rate for Ukraine has significantly decreased. Traditional catch drones fly at 300 km/h with a range of a few kilometers, only making random hits against the new Schahed generation.

Only fighter jets and missiles are an effective countermeasure, but they are comparatively expensive. The Ukraine hit rate against drones has thus dropped significantly. The challenge is to find the right balance between speed and price for a catch drone, said Valerij Bublik, a Ukrainian manufacturer. They are working on two models; the first is an upgrade of conventional drones with four rotors, and the second is a new variant with rocket fuel.

The second model also has propellers for steering. The company expects a speed of 400 km/h, and Schaheds fly at that speed most of the time. Due to Schaheds' top speed of 600 km/h, two-kilometer range, and need for air launch from fighter jets, a mini-rocket called Mark I from Estonian manufacturer Frankenberg Technologies could potentially intercept Schaheds.

However, it costs around 30,000 Euros per piece and expects NATO approval next year, making it not a quick solution for Ukraine. Additionally, the first solution against Russia's ballistic missiles remains, with Ukrainian manufacturer Fire Point developing anti-missile systems.