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Russia Unveils Yak-52 and An-2 Aircraft as Airborne Launch Platforms for Drone Interceptors
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Russia has begun using modified Yak-52 and An-2 aircraft as airborne launch platforms for FPV interceptor drones, according to footage published by the Russian BARS-Sarmat unit and analyzed by Militarnyi on July 19.
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The videos show interceptor drones being deployed from both aircraft as Russia continues expanding its counter-drone capabilities.
The footage, first highlighted by the Telegram channel Potuzhnyi Informator, shows two different aircraft adapted for airborne drone launches. Analysts say the concept resembles a capability already fielded by Ukraine using modified An-28 aircraft equipped with interceptor drones.
According to Militarnyi, Russia demonstrated two separate aircraft configurations designed to deploy high-speed FPV interceptor drones resembling the Sting/P1-SUN family. One version is intended for ground launch, while another is configured for aerial deployment.
The first platform is a Yak-52 training aircraft fitted with six external launch rails for interceptor drones. Video released by BARS-Sarmat shows the aircraft taking off carrying four drones, although six launch positions are visible on the airframe.
Militarnyi noted that it remains unclear how drone control is performed aboard the Yak-52, as the aircraft’s two-seat cockpit appears to leave little room for the equipment typically required to operate FPV interceptors.
The second platform is an An-2 utility aircraft, whose larger cabin allows onboard installation of drone control systems. The published footage shows drones launching from a fuselage-mounted attachment point, although it does not reveal the aircraft’s maximum payload or whether underwing launch stations are also operational.
The same footage also shows Russian interceptor drones engaging Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles. According to Militarnyi, some of the targets appear to be Maya decoy drones, alongside several other unidentified UAV types.
Ukraine introduced the concept earlier this year by adapting An-28 aircraft to launch P1-SUN interceptor drones against Russian Shahed UAVs. Equipped with up to six interceptor drones and an optical targeting system, the aircraft has become part of Ukraine’s layered air defense network as a lower-cost alternative to conventional air-to-air missiles.
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