Ukraine maintained a slightly lower but still high interception rate against Russian jet-powered drones amid mid-October speed restrictions on the “military package” for Starlink satellite terminals, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on Oct. 25, The New Voice of Ukraine reports.
The share of jet-powered drones intercepted by Ukrainian forces fell from 77% to about 74% between Oct. 14 and 24, when Starshield service experienced disruptions, the analysts said.
Ukraine’s Defense Forces use a layered air defense system to intercept Russian jet-powered drones, with interceptor drones proving most effective. Those interceptor drones rely heavily on Starshield to operate at high speeds, experts said.
Ukrainian forces also use other methods, including F-16 fighter jets armed with expensive, scarce air-to-air missiles. Pilots can also use their F-16s’ onboard cannons, a tactic that requires considerable skill and increases the risk to both aircraft and pilots.
Relying on F-16s to counter jet-powered drones increases maintenance demands on Ukraine’s aircraft, which already face maintenance challenges, and diverts them from other missions, the report said. Ukraine has also installed turrets in Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast to counter drones, but deploying these stationary systems nationwide would take time and resources and would not be sufficient on its own.
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