Ukraine developed an Iranian drone interceptor in three months
Ukraine has unveiled a new interceptor developed in just three months to counter Russian Shahed drones. Meanwhile, the US is returning to purchasing older Patriot interceptors due to supply shortages, and Turkey is seeking US assistance for its KAAN fighter jet program.
Turkey aims to develop its Air Force with US assistance and may receive a response even before the transfer of F-35s. Washington is seeking creative solutions for the munitions economy and is turning to the purchase of old-generation Patriot interceptors. In Ukraine, they are developing drone interception capabilities using drones. All this in the weekly defense industry column of Globes.
Not just F-35: Turkey wants US aid for its advanced aircraft
In Israel, there is significant concern that the US might sell Turkey fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets, which would harm regional air superiority. However, Ankara is not satisfied with this and wants US aid for the KAAN project, Turkey's own fifth-generation fighter jet. While the Turks successfully conducted the aircraft's maiden flight in February 2024, they realized they lacked the ability to produce an engine of the required level.
Given the restrictions applying to Turkey as long as it possesses Russian S-400 air defense systems, the Erdogan administration wants to purchase high-quality engines from Washington. The CEO of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ), Mehmet Demiroğlu, claims that the Donald Trump administration has already approved the transfer of F110 engines from General Electric. According to him, there are already ten engines in Turkey for the KAAN prototypes.
"For the serial production of KAAN, we will buy 80 engines," said Demiroğlu. "We have the export license." A source in the Turkish aerospace industry told Breaking Defense that the first batch of these 80 engines is expected to arrive in Turkey next year. This highlights the failure of the Turkish defense industry to produce an available fifth-generation engine, with current statements suggesting the first domestic engine will not appear until 2032.
Under the influence of Iran: US purchases outdated Patriot interceptors
The prolonged campaign with Iran and attacks on American bases have led the US to use unprecedented quantities of interceptors across the Middle East. Washington would prefer to purchase advanced PAC-3 Patriot interceptors in large quantities, but American companies are supply-constrained. Consequently, for the first time in over 30 years, Raytheon has received a US order for PAC-2 interceptors. This is a necessary step to manage the munitions economy while integrating the need for supplies to Ukraine.
Raytheon is the lead contractor for the Patriot system and PAC-2 interceptors, while Lockheed Martin leads on the advanced PAC-3. Today, about a quarter of Raytheon's revenue comes from Patriot systems. While the PAC-2 is an older version, the interceptors themselves have been upgraded. The US will receive the GEM-T variant, which has undergone continuous improvements.
The new variant offers better performance against small threats with low radar signatures. Additionally, the missile fuze has been modified to counter ultra-fast missiles. The GEM+ version adds even greater accuracy and reliability. It remains to be seen whether these interceptors will be intended for the US Army or also for American partners.
Ukraine intercepts drones with drones
Ukraine is facing Russia in a prolonged war, unprecedented in terms of the scale of unmanned systems usage. These challenges have fostered advanced technological solutions. The Ukrainian company SkyFall has unveiled an interceptor drone dedicated to the Shahed threat, designed to be faster than the targets.
The interceptor, named P1-SUN JetKiller, is the result of just three months of work, stemming from requirements raised by Ukrainian security forces. The JetKiller has already been tested on dozens of battlefield targets with success. "What we are seeing is the Russians using regular Shaheds as a substitute for long-range artillery launched deep into Ukraine," a SkyFall representative told Breaking Defense. "Therefore, a dedicated response was needed." The company has impressively increased the speed from about 310 km/h to 370 km/h. Although Shaheds can accelerate to 400 km/h, they cannot maintain that speed throughout the flight, allowing the JetKiller to shoot them down. Serial production will begin in August, with plans to produce about 50,000 units per month.
