Ukraine to Test Estonia’s AI-Powered M1 Missiles to Counter Drones in 2025

In 2025, Ukraine will begin testing new Estonian-developed Mark 1 surface-to-air missiles designed to counter drones, according to a report by Estonian media ERR on December 6.

“This technology is promising, and we will start testing it in Ukraine in the new year,” said Kusti Salm, CEO of Frankenburg Technologies, the Estonian defense company, developing the missiles.

The key innovation of these missiles is the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) for autonomous target tracking.

According to the company’s website, Frankenburg Technologies aims to revolutionize missile guidance systems through an AI-driven situational awareness program.

Despite their advanced features, the missiles are relatively inexpensive and are designed to be highly effective against drones and other types of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Speaking to the defense publication Janes, Salm explained that the Mark 1 missile can engage targets at altitudes of up to 2 kilometers, which aligns with the typical flight paths of Iranian-made strike drones attacking Ukraine.

Frankenburg Technologies plans to initially produce several dozen missiles per week.

By the third quarter of 2025, the company aims to ramp up production to hundreds of anti-air missiles weekly.

Earlier, Estonia was exploring the possibility of purchasing defense products from Ukraine, including long-range missiles, as part of its efforts to enhance military capabilities and support Ukraine’s defense industry.

In addition, the Ukrainian Defense Minister reported that Ukraine is scaling up the production of domestic Neptune cruise missiles and launching the Palianytsia rocket drone into mass production.