Ukrainian highlights specific system as the best countermeasure against Russian drones
Colonel Yuri Ignat, spokesperson for the Command of the Air Force of Ukraine, has labeled the German self-propelled anti-aircraft guns Gepard as the best weapons to shoot down Russian drones. This is not only due to their effectiveness, he says.
The Russians heavily use drones, among which are Iranian drones Shahed. These are simple and cheap unmanned aerial vehicles. Shooting them down with sophisticated anti-aircraft systems like the Patriot or IRIS-T is not only cost-ineffective but also unsustainable due to potential missile shortages. Therefore, simpler systems become more relevant.
According to Ignat, when assessing the cost-effectiveness of intercepting enemy drones, the German self-propelled anti-aircraft guns Gepard come out on top.
"We need to expand the quantity of these systems. They are logical choices to combat unmanned aerial vehicles. Today, the Gepard is the best in this regard - it's cost-effective. But it has a limited range, which necessitates we have more of them," he stated in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.
The Gepard operates two 35 mm caliber guns, firing at a rate of 550 rounds per minute. Using it in Ukraine is estimated to cost from several hundred to a few thousand dollars to eliminate an enemy target. This presents a stark contrast to many other anti-aircraft systems, such as the Patriot or IRIS-T, whose individual missiles can cost millions of dollars.
"It's critical to destroy [drones] using more affordable weaponry. This way, we can keep our stock of pricier anti-aircraft missiles to deflect attacks involving maneuvering missiles and deter Russian aviation," added Ignat.
The Gepard can engage targets at a maximum distance of 2.5 to 3.1 miles. Because of this, Ukraine consistently strives for further deployments of these systems to defend broader areas. They expect to obtain more units soon, not from Germany, but from the USA. The superpower recently bought 60 units from Jordan to send to Ukraine.
