Ukraine has developed and is currently testing cutting-edge air defense systems, including the "Sunray" laser unit and high-speed interceptor drones. These weapons are being created to address shortages in Western aid and the urgent need to defend against Russian attacks.
As reported by "Hvylya", citing The Atlantic.
Visually resembling an amateur telescope equipped with cameras, the Sunray laser system is designed to be mounted on the roof of a pickup truck. Journalists reported that during testing, an operator destroyed a drone in mere seconds: a silent, invisible beam ignited the target, sending it crashing down in a "fiery arc".
Developers stated that they built the system in approximately two years with a budget of several million dollars. The projected cost per unit is expected to be several hundred thousand dollars. By comparison, Lockheed Martin's American Helios system was developed under a $150 million contract.
Pavlo Yelizarov, a commander of air defense forces, explained the difference in approaches:
"Many American companies are driven by money. For them, it is a job. They do it. They get paid. We have a different component: the need to survive. That is why we move faster."
Another innovation is the P1-Sun interceptor drone from Skyfall. The device, jokingly nicknamed "Pisyun" by developers due to its phallic shape, costs slightly over $1,000. It is capable of reaching altitudes exceeding 9 kilometers and has already destroyed more than 1,000 targets, including 700 Shahed drones.
Skyfall, which also manufactures "Vampire" heavy bombers (known as "Baba Yaga"), has ramped up mass production of the interceptors. The company's founder stated that supply chain issues have been resolved, allowing them to produce as many drones as the military requires.
The publication also highlighted significant losses within the domestic defense industry. Several months ago, a Russian strike destroyed the main drone production facility of Yelizarov's unit, the Lasar group, incinerating equipment worth approximately $35 million.
Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov, commenting on the development of indigenous air defense systems, underscored the critical nature of the situation:
"The anti-drone dome isn't about the future. It's about survival today."
