A development that began in the late 1980s with the IAI drone Harpy, was further developed in Iran with the Shahed series and is now being launched by Russia as Geran-2 on Ukraine by the hundreds every day (-> Latest news from the Ukraine war), is changing the structure of air defense.
It is currently estimated that Russia is capable of producing up to 170 of the Geran-2 long-range missile every day – a flying bomb with a piston engine and, depending on the equipment, a range of a good 1,500 kilometers or more.
Ukraine assumes that Russia could be able to produce 500 units per day in the foreseeable future.
Apart from the increasingly sophisticated technology – there are indications that the flight path of the drones can now be reprogrammed from Russia via the Ukrainian mobile phone network during the flight – the numbers deployed have also led to changes in tactics.
The drones used to fly very low to avoid radar detection. In response, Ukraine has installed acoustic early warning, targeting and detection systems. Mobile air defence groups have been formed that maneuver in threatened areas to shoot down the drones with tube weapons.
“We can see them all. Radars can track them down. But it has become impossible to shoot them down with machine guns.”
Yuriy Chumak, ukrainischer Fliegerabwehrsoldat
According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, mobile groups are capable of shooting down around a third of the Geran-2 drones. Ukraine is currently trying to recruit volunteers from non-military population groups to form further mobile groups. As the Geran-2s fly for hours across the country as far as western Ukraine, such defensive units are also needed far away from the front line.
However, with the ever-increasing numbers of drones, it is no longer necessary to fly low everywhere – there are simply not enough anti-aircraft missiles. There is an emerging trend for subsequent drones in a swarm to fly around areas where drones were previously shot down, operating at altitudes that are beyond the range of barrel weapons.
Drones as interceptors
The same applies to the fight against flying unmanned reconnaissance vehicles and loitering munitions. Russia produces large quantities of Zala-421, Supercam and Orlan reconnaissance drones and Lancet and Molniya loitering munitions. The Russian economy, which has been converted to war production, has long been able to produce far more drones than the entire West can produce in terms of anti-aircraft missiles.
The answer to this imbalance: drones. The first successful attempts to intercept Molniya-type loitering munitions with quadcopter FPV drones date back to the first quarter of 2024.
Warriors WU Samurai with the help of the Wild Hornets, they took down 2 Lancets, a Molniya-2, an Orlan, and a Supercam ????????
The Sky Rusoriz is in action! @sternenkofund pic.twitter.com/pqsvhELJXL
– Wild Hornets (@wilendhornets) June 21, 2025
Currently – i.e. at the end of the second quarter of 2025 – the interception of reconnaissance drones using quadcopter FPVs or even fixed-wing FPVs such as the Taras-P is already established across the board. Another development is carrier drones: These fixed-wing drones transport up to two quadcopter FPVs, bring them up to intercept altitude and thus extend the range and deployment altitude of the interceptor drones.
Interceptor drones against Shahed/Geran-2
Meanwhile, four Ukrainian companies are said to be developing special interceptors against Shahed-136/Geran-2 drones. According to reports, two of these four companies are already very successful with their designs.
In the first half of June, the well-known Ukrainian drone manufacturer Wild Hornets also joined the hunt. Prototypes of the interceptor drone known as the Sting were first seen in short videos in October 2024. The first video of a successful Sting mission against a Geran-2 dates from May 19, 2025.
???? russian Shahed was taken down by our STING interceptor drone ????
And this is just the beginning ????
Shahed drones strike Ukrainian cities every day – we need more STINGs to protect lives.
Please donate and help us stop them.???? Apple Pay, Google Pay, Credit cards:… pic.twitter.com/k2c7VybPfC
– Wild Hornets (@wilendhornets) May 19, 2025
An arms race is currently taking place between low-cost deep-strike weapons, which are available in ever greater quantities, and defenses, which must be just as numerous and affordable.
Here to our drone focus area with all the latest news on the subject.
