Ukraine Turns Helicopters Into Drone Hunters With Surprising Success Rate

Ukraine is increasing the deployment of helicopters in air defense missions after commanders reported their effectiveness in intercepting Russian long-range drones, according to Militarnyi on September 26.

Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said helicopter crews have become a critical part of the country’s layered air defense system.

“Depending on the weather, our helicopters sometimes shoot down up to 40% of drones in their sectors. That is why we are scaling up this direction as well,” Syrskyi explained during a briefing cited by Militarnyi.

Syrskyi emphasized that helicopters used for air defense will undergo modernization and be fitted with specialized systems enabling detection in multiple modes, including thermal and infrared. These upgrades are designed to ensure round-the-clock effectiveness in different weather conditions.

The tactic, first reported earlier this year, involves pairing two helicopters with complementary roles: one equipped with weapons to directly engage drones and the other fitted with advanced sensors.

The sensor-equipped aircraft, often carrying the Teledyne FLIR multi-sensor system, guides the armed helicopter to its target. This method has proven effective against drones carrying warheads of up to 90 kilograms.

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According to Militarnyi, Ukrainian defense planners are also considering the integration of light aircraft into interception operations.

Options under review include adapting sport and training planes with mounted machine guns, acquiring specialized light combat aircraft, and deploying modified platforms such as the Czech-made Z-137 AgroTurbo armed with short-range R-73 air-to-air missiles.

Earlier, Ukraine received its first SHARK light aircraft fitted with an anti-drone electronic warfare pod. The two-seat SHARK from SHARK.AERO carries a fuselage-mounted EW container that can jam GNSS and video/control links at ranges up to about 4.5 km when flown near 1,800 m, and Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said, “One of the promising directions in combating Shahed drones is the use of light aircraft.”

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