Ukraine’s drone warfare branch said on Sunday that its troops destroyed a Russian Shahed by launching an interceptor drone from an uncrewed surface vessel for the first time.
The Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) wrote in a post on X that the interception was carried out “for the first time in the world” against a Shahed loitering munition.
“This marks a new level of integration between naval and aerial unmanned capabilities,” wrote the USF, publishing video clips of the apparent launch and interception.
The interception was executed by a naval unit of the 412th Nemesis Brigade, the USF said.
The clips appear to show the interceptor drone launching from a cubby on the remote-controlled vessel, with a hatch door opening to allow the interceptor to fly upward. The video later appears to show the interceptor’s camera approaching a delta-wing drone from behind, before the footage cuts.
The USF said the launch could help to create an “additional layer of protection for Ukrainian cities.” Hundreds of Russia’s Shahed attacks on Ukraine’s southern border are launched from Crimea, meaning their flight paths to the coastal cities of Odesa and Mykolaiv would often go over the Black Sea.
The Wild Hornets, a Ukrainian interceptor drone manufacturer, said its Sting drone was involved in the operation.
“Incredible innovations roll out every day from Wild Hornets and Ukrainian defenders,” a representative for the manufacturer wrote on X.
The new tactic combines two cheap wartime innovations that have now become commonplace in Ukraine — aerial drones for destroying loitering munitions and sea-faring drones that replace many of the tasks carried out by traditional warships.
Both were born out of necessity, since Ukraine lacked a proper navy to face Russia’s Black Sea Fleet and couldn’t afford to use expensive air defense missiles to counter frequent Shahed attacks.
The interceptor-sea drone teaming also comes as the US and its allies in the Middle East have recently been pressed for cost-efficient ways of defending against Iran’s drone attacks, especially in the Strait of Hormuz.
Traffic out of the vital oil shipping lane has plunged since the US and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury on February 28, with Iran placing mines and threatening passing vessels with drone attacks.
Though the strait has recently been said to be partially open, multiple blockades and intermittent naval attacks in the area have left shippers confused over its true status.
On Monday, Ukraine’s defense ministry encouraged its allies to seek its expertise, saying it had years of experience countering Russian and Iranian-made drones and operating in contested waters.
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