Project OCTOPUS interceptor drones will be mass-produced in Britain, targeting thousands of units per month for delivery to Ukraine.
These interceptor drones are significantly cheaper than conventional air defense missiles and highly effective against Russian drones, capable of swiftly intercepting and destroying enemy drones and missiles before they reach their targets.
Defense Secretary John Healey emphasized that innovations will be implemented at a wartime pace.
“This deal is a first of its kind, giving UK industry unprecedented access to the latest equipment designs, supporting Ukraine in its fight to defend against Putin’s illegal invasion and showing how defence can be an engine for growth as we deliver on our Plan for Change,” he said.
The new interceptor drone was designed by Ukraine with support from British scientists and technicians and has already proven effective on the battlefield, the British government stated.
It has been “highly effective” against Russia’s Shahed attack drones, costing less than 10% of the drones it is designed to intercept.
On July 25, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy set a goal for drone manufacturers to achieve the capacity to deploy at least 1,000 interceptor drones daily.
Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov stated that Ukraine is ready to purchase all interceptor drones domestic producers can manufacture by the end of 2025.
On Aug. 4, Reuters reported that Ukraine is building a shield of interceptors against Russian drones. Oleksii Solntsev, founder of MaXon Systems, told Defender Media about the development of a new “air-to-air” anti-aircraft complex based on interceptor drones.