New LITAVR+ interceptor can race at 250 mph speed to take down Shahed kamikaze drones

A Ukraine-based defense firm has revealed an interceptor drone that can take down the jet-powered Shahed kamikaze drones being used by Russia. The Iran-developed Shahed kamikaze drones have been extensively used by Moscow in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Their low cost and accuracy have made them popular with the Russian forces and they have been used in multiple frontline and long-range attacks. While the price for a Shahed-136 drone is approximately $35,000, the cost of taking them down can be much higher depending on the air defense system or interceptor missiles used by the forces in Kyiv. Therefore, the upgraded LITAVR unmanned aerial system (UAS) made by F-Drones can play a huge role in controlling the escalating problem. According to the company, they can intercept the kamikaze drones at speeds over 250 mph (400 km per hour). The LITAVR+ interceptor drone According to the company’s CEO Stanislav Khutor, the LITAVR+ is an upgraded version of its main interceptor. The original LITAVR has already been released and is being used by the forces of Kyiv. The CEO stated in an interview that the new drone has passed factory tests. The LITAVR+ comes with a unique navigation system that can allow it travel without GPS. It also has a target guidance system that enables it to complete the last-mile journey without the help of a controller. The original LIVATR drone model had a top speed of 217 miles per hour (350 km per hour) with a range of 25 miles (40 kilometers). The drone is able to carry an 18-ounce warhead in its nose, and it comes with an endurance of 15 minutes. The company claims it is one of the first in Ukraine to achieve localization of all components in the drones. This reduces the dependence on countries like China and helps in increasing production on a short notice. It should also be noted that F-Drones is setting up a plant in the United States to make America-compliant drones for use by the defense forces. What makes Shahed drones such a big menace? There are very few weapons in the modern day and age that have become as popular as the Shahed-136 one-way attack UAV. It is actually a loitering munition that can track and locate the target before it hits and destroy itself in the process. The Shahed-136 follows pre-programmed navigation after launch and then dives into the target with its explosive warhead. The simplicity of the fire and forget mechanism allows its operators to launch large drone swarms to carry out coordinated attacks. The propeller-driven, long-range Shahed-136 (rebranded as Geran-2 by Russia) can travel at speeds of up to 125 miles per hour (200 km per hour). The jet-powered variant, called Geran-3, can reach top speeds between 250 miles per hour (400 km per hour) and 465 miles per hour (750 km per hour). Russia has already started domestic production of the Shahed drones and it helped Moscow in bringing the cost down further. Combinations of these factors make the kamikaze drone a very important weapon in Moscow’s arsenal. Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.Abhishek brings a wealth of experience in covering diverse stories across different beats. Having contributed to renowned wire agencies and Indian media outlets like ANI and NDTV, he is keenly interested in Tech, Business and Defense coverage.