Ukraine has adapted the light turboprop Antonov An-28 into an airborne platform for counter-drone operations, equipping it with interceptor systems designed to engage long-range Russian loitering munitions of the “Shahed” type in flight. This effort, documented in video footage published by Ukrainian pilot and volunteer Tymur Fatkullin, represents one of the more unconventional counter-UAV solutions developed during the war.
Fatkullin, who has been involved in several improvised aviation initiatives since the start of the full-scale invasion, shared footage showing the An-28 fitted with underwing pylons carrying interceptor drones. The video indicates the use of two types of aerial interceptors mounted beneath the wings: the domestically developed P1-Sun and the Ukrainian counter-drone system Merops AS-3 Surveyor. The aircraft, previously noted for carrying an M134 Minigun, is now being used as a specialized airborne platform for drone interception.
“An aerial interceptor P1-Sun against enemy ‘Shahed’ drones. This method has already demonstrated effectiveness under real combat conditions. We also tested several other interceptor drones during training flights. It can be described as a low-cost air-to-air missile alternative. For us, this is also a step toward technologies that would allow drones to operate in zero-visibility conditions,” Tymur Fatkullin wrote in the caption to the video.
The development was carried out in cooperation with a number of Ukrainian defense companies, whose names have not been publicly disclosed. Based on the published footage and accompanying statements, the system appears to have moved beyond the experimental stage and has already been used in operational conditions.
Russian-produced “Shahed” drones – derived from Iranian loitering munitions – are typically deployed in waves, often at night, targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure, urban areas, and military positions. Ukraine’s air defense system has intercepted thousands of these platforms using ground-based systems. However, each interceptor missile launched from a surface-based air defense unit is significantly more expensive than the “Shahed” itself, creating a persistent cost imbalance that places pressure on available resources.
An aerial interceptor drone changes this equation. The Ukrainian-developed P1-Sun, described by Tymur Fatkullin as a “low-cost air-to-air missile alternative,” is designed to close in on a “Shahed” and neutralize it without the expense associated with conventional interceptors. Launching from an aircraft, rather than from the ground, provides several operational advantages: increased altitude at deployment, extended loiter time over the area of responsibility, and more precise targeting enabled by onboard sensors and crew guidance prior to release.
The Merops AS-3 Surveyor counter-drone system represents a more capable and correspondingly more expensive option mounted on the same pylons. Its inclusion in flight testing suggests that Ukraine is evaluating multiple interceptor types for different threat scenarios, rather than relying on a single solution. Carrying both systems simultaneously provides crews with flexibility in selecting an engagement method depending on the target profile and tactical context.
The Antonov An-28 itself is a Soviet-era light utility turboprop aircraft, originally designed for operations from unprepared airstrips in remote areas. In its standard transport configuration, it can carry up to seventeen passengers, is powered by two Glushenkov TVD-10B engines, and is known for its ability to operate from short and rough runways. It is not a combat aircraft and was never intended for interception roles.
This makes its current adaptation notable. Rather than waiting for purpose-built platforms, Ukraine is modifying available airframes and deploying them in operational roles.
Equipped with underwing pylons, interceptor drones, and an M134 Minigun, the modified An-28 now functions as a low-cost airborne counter-drone platform. It serves simultaneously as an interceptor, a testbed, and a system that does not clearly fit into existing procurement categories.
The statement by Tymur Fatkullin that the method “has already demonstrated effectiveness under real combat conditions” is significant. It indicates that Ukraine has employed this aircraft against “Shahed” drones in operational settings – not in training or simulation, but in actual engagements. Footage of training flights involving different interceptor types suggests that the program is actively evolving. Crews appear to be collecting data on how various drone platforms perform when deployed from a moving aircraft at operational altitudes, contributing to iterative refinement of the approach.
Ukraine’s drone industry has accelerated more rapidly than most other sectors of the country’s defense economy since 2022. Dozens of companies are developing, testing, and fielding systems at a pace that traditional procurement cycles typically cannot match. The interceptor program based on the Antonov An-28 reflects this model: small teams, unconventional platforms, real-world testing under active combat conditions, and rapid iteration based on observed performance in operational environments.
A “Shahed” drone is estimated to cost between $40,000 and $100,000 per unit. If Ukraine can intercept these systems using lower-cost solutions deployed from aircraft already on patrol, the economic balance underlying Russia’s drone campaign becomes less favorable. This cost dynamic appears to be a key driver behind the program – and explains why a modified Soviet-era turboprop, equipped with interceptor drones and a rotary machine gun, is now being used to counter UAVs in Ukrainian airspace.
Read also:
- Ukrainian “Sky Map” Supports U.S. Operations: Pentagon Deploys Ukrainian Drone Control System Following Iranian Attacks
- Landing ships, oil refinery, oil depot: Ukrainian drones carried out another series of strikes
Source: defence-blog
