Kyodo via Reuters Connect
- Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's digital-focused former defense minister, has unveiled a new interceptor.
- The interceptor is in testing and has already downed Russia's fastest jet-powered drone, the Geran-5.
- Fedorov told Business Insider this week that he plans to be producing hundreds a month by the end of the year.
Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's former defense minister who pushed for rapid innovation in war technology, has unveiled a new interceptor designed to take down Russia's fastest attack drones.
The new interceptor drone is currently flown by a human pilot, but Fedorov said in comments shared with Business Insider that he intends to make it autonomous in flight using artificial intelligence. He aims to be producing hundreds of interceptors a month by the end of the year.
Ukraine is increasingly turning to AI-enabled autonomous drones and robots that can continue fighting when electronic warfare severs the connection between systems and operators.
The interceptor that Fedorov unveiled is the latest model developed by Ukrainian engineers to combat the rise in Russian jet-powered drones, weapons which are much faster than their propeller-powered predecessors and pose a significant challenge for Kyiv's air defenses. It also reflects a broader shift toward interceptors equipped with artificial intelligence that can fly with less human input.
Ukrainian defense firms have developed several new interceptors capable of engaging Russia's fastest drone, the Geran-5, which is powered by a mini turbojet engine and able to reach speeds of up to 375 mph.
It's unclear how fast the interceptor can fly, but in recent combat tests over Kyiv, a specialized unit of Ukraine's National Guard used it to take down two Geran-5 drones.
Fedorov said that testing is ongoing. The next steps are to improve the technology and scale up production. In translated remarks, he said the interceptor "will be very affordable."
"That was our goal from the outset: to develop a low-cost, mass-producible solution that can be scaled rapidly," he said.
Mykhailo Fedorov/Screengrab via X
During his six months as Ukraine's defense minister earlier this year, Fedorov pushed for a sweeping modernization of the military, including through a robotic-centric approach to combat. His tenure coincided with a string of battlefield successes for Kyiv, primarily through drone warfare.
Following his sudden departure in July, Fedorov launched a defense company focused on developing warfighting technology to strengthen Ukraine and support international partners. He said in early September that the first investor will be Alex Karp, the CEO of Palantir, an American AI, data, and operational intelligence firm.
On Monday, Fedorov said he intends to invest more in research and development and the Ukrainian engineering team behind the interceptor, making its intellectual property a "key asset" in his portfolio. He also plans to open investment to other partners; the first funding round is expected soon.
The development of the new interceptor drone comes as Moscow has ramped up its use of jet-powered drones this year. Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 350 drones in June, but that number swelled to 2,800 in August.
These attacks present a serious challenge for Ukraine. Officials said that the interception rate of Russia's propeller-powered drones, which reach 115 mph, typically sat above 90%. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in late September that Kyiv shot down just 55% of Russia's jet-powered drones that month.
Russia has developed several jet-powered drone models. The Geran-5 more closely resembles a cruise missile than its slower delta-wing predecessors, and it is playing a growing role in Russian strike tactics. Zelenskyy warned last month that Moscow plans to invest heavily in these weapons next year.
Fedorov said on Monday that he's "confident that Russia can be stopped" and that Ukraine has already demonstrated it can engage the slower drones. "Our next challenge is to do the same with jet-powered versions," he added.