US EditionUkraine's old turboprop 'Shahed hunter' plane launches interceptor drones from the sky
Videos show Ukrainian crews launching interceptor drones from An-28 aircraft to destroy Shaheds, a cheaper air defense method that has now produced dozens of kills.
- On Thursday, Ukrainian pilot Tymur Fatkullin released footage showing an Antonov An-28 transport aircraft deploying interceptor drones against Russian Shahed attack drones, marking a new evolution in Ukraine's layered air defense strategy.
- Originally developed by the Antonov Design Bureau in 1968 as a light transport plane, the An-28 now serves as an airborne carrier for quadcopters, allowing crews to maneuver quickly and launch drones at higher velocities against slower Russian munitions.
- The aircraft features wing pylons carrying up to six interceptor drones, including the P1-SUN developed by SkyFall. The Wild Hornets drone maker also confirmed its Sting interceptor was recently launched from an An-28 during a combat mission.
- Dozens of successful kills have earned the An-28 the colloquial reputation of a "Shahed hunter" in Ukraine. Fatkullin noted the technology represents "a step toward technology that will allow drones to operate in zero visibility."
- This low-cost solution addresses the threat of faster Russian munitions, including the turbojet-powered Geran-3 and Geran-5, which can reportedly fly at up to 370 mph. Ukraine continues developing these interceptors as a cheaper alternative to traditional air-to-air missiles.
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He's managed to knock down more than 300 impact drones.
Ukraine Films First Air-To-Air Combat Kill Using Interceptor Drone - Armed Forces Press
Ukraine has found another cost-effective answer to Russia’s mass drone campaign: launch interceptors from the air. Combat footage released April 23 by Ukrainian pilot Tymur Fatkullin shows a modified Antonov An-28 Cash twin-turboprop air-launching P1-SUN interceptors from underwing pylons, with confirmed kills against Russian Shahed-type one-way attack drones. The footage, first posted to Instagram by account aero.tim, provides the first public…
Launch rails have been installed under the wings to carry interceptor drones that are released in the middle of flight against the Shahed.
The two-engine turboprop light aircraft has at least three port points on each wing, allowing it to carry up to six interceptor drones.
Ukraine has begun launching P-1 Sun interceptor drones from an An-28 aircraft, a development that shows the growing use of unmanned aerial systems in defense against drone attacks. The P-1 Sun is a type of interceptor drone designed to neutralize other enemy drones, especially suicide drones such as the Shahed, which Russia has used extensively in attacks on Ukraine. These interceptors are optimized for high speed and maneuverability, enabling t…
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