Ukraine Deploys Estonian Threod CATA Launchers for Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russia

The Armed Forces of Ukraine use, among other systems, CATA-type launchers from Estonian manufacturer Threod Systems to fire long-range strike drones, according to Ranno Pajuri, Chief Commercial Officer of Threod Systems, speaking to Defense News on September 11 at the 2025 DSEI UK show in London.

“Whenever you see a long-range drone hit a target inside Russia, it is likely that our launcher was used by the Ukrainian military to facilitate that,” said Pajuri.

According to him, Ukrainian forces began using Threod’s CATA pneumatic launchers widely after 2022. “The launchers we make are silent and efficient, and they require just four minutes between launches,” he explained.

In addition to Ukraine and its domestic market, Threod has delivered drone launchers to Finland, the Netherlands, Lithuania, and other European states, as well as to clients in the Middle East and Africa. The company is now intensifying efforts to expand into the US market.

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War in Ukraine

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“Throughout its history, Threod has delivered its products to 27 countries, including 13 NATO member states and Ukraine,” the manufacturer noted.

Mikk Murumäe, the company’s co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, noted that the company had supplied its first vertical take-off and landing drone in 2020 and since then had relied on feedback from Ukrainian operators to refine software algorithms and operating procedures.

Murumäe added that Threod runs a training hub in Ukraine.

“We have a training center in Ukraine where we train operators in challenging conditions similar to those that they will later face in warfare. We work with these operators to make our products increasingly convenient for end users,” he explained.

Earlier, it was reported that Ukraine’s defense industry is rapidly advancing into AI-driven warfare, with drone manufacturer Vyriy and autonomy developer The Fourth Law launching mass production of precision FPV drones featuring advanced terminal guidance systems.

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