Vampire systems: Whether Ukrainian Armed Forces use anti-missile systems - Bloomberg
Vampire anti-drone system (Photo: facebook.com/antonina.voloshyna)
Ukrainian soldiers have already started using the Vampire anti-drone systems to destroy Russian drones, according to a Pentagon announcement, Bloomberg reports.
Already in operation
"Initial Vampire systems have been delivered and are in operation by Ukrainian Armed Forces," stated the Pentagon.
The soldiers received the first 4 out of 14 systems per the contract signed in January for $40 million. According to the company's investor bulletin, the anti-drone systems arrived in Ukraine in the middle of this year. The rest are expected to arrive by the end of the year. The Pentagon declined to provide further details about the timeline of future deliveries.
"Kyiv's allies have raced to provide Ukraine with defense capabilities as Russia has used drones, including the Iranian-made Shahed-136, to devastating effect in its invasion," the agency writes.
What's unique about Vampire?
L3Harris Technologies Inc. developed the anti-drone systems.
The Vampire system, abbreviated from "Vehicle Agnostic Modular Palletized ISR Rocket Equipment," consists of portable kits installed on vehicles. The system fires rockets from BAE Systems' Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System. The projectiles are equipped with fuzes designed to detonate near the drone.
In April, the Pentagon announced signing a contract to deliver ten mobile anti-drone systems with laser guidance but did not provide any further information about it.
