Ukraine Develops New Interceptor Drones to Stop Russia's High-Speed Geran Attacks

Ukraine is rapidly developing a new generation of interceptor drones and electronic warfare systems as Russia increases the use of faster jet-powered Geran unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), according to Western reports. Military analysts say the growing pace and sophistication of Russian drone attacks are placing mounting pressure on Ukraine's air defense network.

Photo: Openverse by Khamenei.ir, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Geran drones attack

New JetKiller Drone Targets Faster Threats

One of Ukraine's latest developments is the P1-SUN JetKiller, unveiled by Ukrainian manufacturer Skyfall at the Farnborough International Airshow on July 20. The interceptor is an upgraded version of the original P1-SUN drone, which entered service late last year to counter propeller-driven Geran UAVs.

Capable of reaching speeds of up to 370 km/h (230 mph), the JetKiller was designed to respond to the growing threat posed by Russia's new jet-powered Geran variants. The increased speed reflects changing battlefield conditions, where attacks increasingly target infrastructure beyond major cities and military installations.

Western sources note that Russian strikes have repeatedly targeted fuel stations and transportation infrastructure, disrupting logistics and military mobility. Protecting a wider range of critical sites has forced Ukraine to spread its air defense assets across a larger area.

Jet-Powered Geran Drones Present a New Challenge

Ukraine's first generation of interceptor drones proved effective against the slower Geran-1, Geran-2, and Gerbera drones, which typically fly at around 185 km/h (115 mph). However, analysts say these systems struggle to intercept the newer jet-powered Geran-3, Geran-4, and Geran-5 variants.

Some reports estimate that the fastest Geran models can reach speeds between 500 and 600 km/h (310–373 mph), making them extremely difficult targets for existing Ukrainian interceptors, including the P1-SUN JetKiller.

According to figures cited by Ukraine's Ministry of Defense, Russian forces launched approximately 1,400 jet-powered drones between January and mid-June, compared with about 180 during the entire previous year.

The faster drones can fly at very low altitudes to reduce radar detection or climb above 4,000 meters (13,100 feet) to stay beyond the reach of machine guns and many small interceptor drones. Their higher speed also shortens the response time available for Ukrainian air defenses.

Ukraine Develops Faster Interceptor Drones

In response, Ukrainian manufacturers are designing new interceptor drones equipped with turbojet engines and automated guidance systems.

General Cherry is developing an upgraded version of its Bullet interceptor capable of flying between 400 and 500 km/h (249–311 mph) while aiming to keep production costs at approximately $2,000 per unit.

Meanwhile, British-Ukrainian company Firebolt Engineering continues work on its jet-powered Griffen interceptor. The company plans to increase its current speed of 350 km/h (217 mph) to around 400 km/h (249 mph) using a new engine developed with British manufacturer Dynamic Propulsion, while keeping the estimated cost below $10,000 per drone.

Decoy Drones Increase Pressure on Air Defenses

Western analysts say Russia has also expanded the use of decoy drones. In some attack waves, between 40% and 60% of objects that initially appear to be Geran drones reportedly turn out to be unarmed Gerbera decoys.

These drones can imitate the radar signature of armed UAVs, forcing Ukrainian defenders to expend interceptor drones or air defense ammunition on targets carrying no explosive payload. At the same time, destroying faster jet-powered drones may require significantly more expensive missiles.

Mesh Networking Complicates Electronic Warfare

Another challenge comes from Russia's reported use of airborne mesh communication networks. Some Geran drones have reportedly been modified with onboard cameras and mesh-network modems that allow them to exchange video, receive commands, and update flight paths while relaying data between aircraft.

Because each drone can function as a communications relay, disabling a single link may not disrupt the network. Data can instead travel through another drone or a ground station, increasing the resilience of the communication system.

According to the reports, the Chinese-made modems employ frequency-hopping technology, allowing transmissions to shift between multiple radio bands. Analysts say this makes electronic jamming more difficult because systems designed for a fixed frequency cover only part of the available spectrum.

Ukraine Expands Electronic Warfare Capabilities

Several Ukrainian companies are developing systems designed to disrupt these mesh communication networks. Qwertus is working on its Atlas electronic warfare system, which combines Azimuth electronic intelligence with the modular Mirage jammer capable of operating across multiple frequency bands.

Infozahyst is developing the Apella and Khortytsia-M systems, which are designed to detect, classify, and demodulate multiple frequency-hopping networks. Another company, Unwave, is creating automated detection and analysis modules capable of selecting appropriate jamming responses.

Rather than attempting to destroy every incoming drone, Ukrainian specialists increasingly focus on disrupting enough communication links within the network to reduce bandwidth, increase transmission delays, and prevent drones from receiving updated navigation data. Once disconnected, drones reportedly continue flying using outdated coordinates.

Hybrid Communications Add Another Layer of Complexity

Western reports also claim Russia has adopted a hybrid communications architecture combining civilian mobile networks, ground relay stations, and human support. According to Ukrainian specialists, some Geran drones reportedly use SIM cards to connect to Ukraine's Kyivstar mobile network or, in some cases, European mobile networks if connections change during flight.

Analysts also describe the previous use of relay antennas installed on towers and residential buildings in Belarus to link airborne drone networks with Russian operators. Ukrainian officials said they dismantled part of this infrastructure earlier this year and later reported that the last identified relay stations stopped operating on June 22.

Another reported method involves broadcasting encrypted flight telemetry over FM frequencies while recruited civilians record the signals and forward the data through Telegram, according to Ukrainian security experts.