Ukraine has effective tools to counter Russian drones, but domestic production is falling short due to funding shortages, according to experts.
Anatoliy Khrapchynskyi, deputy CEO of an electronic warfare company and aviation specialist, told Espreso TV that defense factories are running at only 40 percent capacity, limiting the ability to scale up existing systems.
While affordable weapons capable of targeting drones are available, production levels remain far below potential.
Khrapchynskyi stressed that although Ukraine continues to rely on international partners for certain military supplies, developing and scaling domestic production should be a priority.
“We spent a long time asking our partners for long-range weapons. Now, we’re already striking Russian territory with weapons of our own production. We are controlling the airspace with our strike drones,” explained Khrapchynskyi.
“Of course, we still significantly rely on most high-tech solutions that allow us to intercept ballistic and cruise missiles. Nevertheless, Ukrainian companies are developing and advancing counter-drone technologies,” he added.
Currently, Khrapchynskyi’s team is testing a drone defense system that uses low-cost first-person view drones with cameras and artificial intelligence (AI) to detect and intercept the enemy’s unmanned aerial vehicles autonomously.
The approach was first proposed in a May 2023 plan for layered drone defense, including methods to counter Shahed drones.
Ukraine’s Domestic Production
Kyiv’s domestic defense output is surging, with production expected to rise from $1 billion in 2022 to $35 billion this year.
In May, Kyiv introduced a new AI-powered drone that navigates using visual-inertial data and onboard cameras instead of GPS.
It also approved a locally-made anti-drone pistol for frontline troops, weighing just over 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds).
Production capacity is also supported by foreign aid directed at the development of locally manufactured technologies.
Last month, Denmark announced plans to buy arms and ammunition worth $934 million from Ukraine’s industry using frozen Russian assets.
Earlier this year, Finland proposed a $691-million military aid package to increase purchases from the war-torn country’s defense sector.
