The Unmanned Systems Forces announced a new format for countering Russian strike drones: a Shahed-type target was destroyed by an interceptor that was launched not from land, but from an unmanned surface platform in the maritime operational zone.
The Unmanned Systems Forces announced a new format for countering Russian strike drones: a Shahed-type target was destroyed by an interceptor that was launched not from land, but from an unmanned surface platform in the maritime operational zone.
This was reported by the Telegram channel of the 412th Nemesis Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Force. According to the unit, the successful interception was carried out by the unmanned surface complexes division, which operates as part of the 412th Nemesis Brigade of the Unmanned Systems Forces.
This is about the combat use of a combination of two unmanned components at the same time: a sea carrier and an air drone-interceptor. The brigade emphasizes that it was the unmanned surface platform that became the base for launching the device that hit the enemy’s strike UAV. This approach actually adds another way to respond to air threats, when the interceptor can be deployed closer to the route of the enemy target.
Nemesis calls this a new level of combining naval and aerial drone capabilities. The idea is not only to destroy the Shahed itself, but also to expand the geography of launching interceptors. If the carrier is a naval platform, Ukrainian forces gain additional flexibility in protecting the coast and cities that remain under threat from drone attacks.
Separately, the unit emphasizes that the use of surface carriers to launch such vehicles forms an additional echelon of defense. That is, it is not about replacing existing countermeasures, but about the emergence of another tool in the multi-level defense against strike UAVs.
In recent months, the SBS has been actively developing integrated solutions, where different types of drones work as a single system. Sea platforms have already proven their effectiveness in the Black Sea as strike and reconnaissance vehicles, and their use as mobile «launch points» for interceptor drones opens up a new air defense scenario. This makes it possible to move the interception zone further from the city or critical infrastructure and respond to the «Shaheeds» even on approach, reducing the load on ground-based air defense systems.
Previously, dev.ua wrote about how the manufacturer of the UAV «Wild Hornets» reported a record-breaking shootdown of a Shahed kamikaze drone from a distance of 500 km from the operator, which was achieved using HORNET VISION Ctrl technology.
