Sting interceptor drones offer low-cost solution to destroy Shaheds – Expert
Illustrative photo: Ukraine plans to intercept Shaheds in a new way (Getty Images)
The development of Sting interceptor drones in Ukraine is very important. This solution will provide the cheapest way to shoot down Shahed kamikaze drones, stated Oleh Katkov, the editor-in-chief of Defense Express, in a commentary to the RBC-Ukraine's YouTube channel.
"Why is this (the development of Sting - ed.) so important? Now there is the issue of shooting down enemy drones cheaply. This applies to all drones, whether they are real or decoys... Why anti-air drones? Because they are objectively the cheapest way to destroy aerial targets like drones," Katkov emphasized.
He noted that these drones would cost around $5,000 if equipped with a night camera and machine vision for automatic tracking and target detection.
"This would be an excellent option because Shaheds cost around $200,000, and Orlan-10 drones are in a similar price range. Meanwhile, a Stinger missile costs approximately $800,000," Katkov compared.
He also pointed out that The Telegraph may have made an error in their report about the Sting drone. The agency claimed that these drones can reach speeds of 100 miles per hour (around 160 km per hour). However, Shaheds fly at 180 km per hour, and to intercept them, the Sting’s speed should be 1.5 to 2 times higher.
"For this reason, the Wild Hornets community (the developers of Sting - ed.) has already released a video of their development, an anti-air drone capable of accelerating to 320 km/h," the expert added.
Ukraine is developing Shahed interceptors
On October 21, The Telegraph reported that Ukraine is developing drones that can intercept Shaheds, controlled by operators using virtual reality glasses.
Aviation expert Anatolii Khrapchynskyi told RBC-Ukraine's YouTube channel that this initiative could solve the problem of enemy kamikaze drones in a few months.
