US to Arm Ukraine with Vampire Counter-Drone System to Tackl…

As Iranian advisors train the Russian military on the usage of Shahed-136 drones in Russia, the US is planning to deliver a counter-drone system known as the Vampire to Ukraine within the next nine months, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Ukraine is concerned that these Shahed-136 drones are affecting civilian lives and civilian infrastructure and has also spoken to Israel seeking air defence systems.

The drones have proven advantageous for Russia as it struck power installations in Ukrainian capital Kyiv forcing Ukraine to announce scheduled power cuts.

Brett Velicovich, an expert in drone-technology and ex-US special-operations soldier, who was earlier in Ukraine told the WSJ that the Shaheds are the best weapons right now in Russian inventory.

Vampire was included in the nearly $3 billion military aid package for Ukraine announced by the Biden administration in August.

The makers of the counter-drone system are L3Harris Technologies Inc. and these are portable, laser-guided missile systems which can be quickly installed in civilian trucks and has the capability to destroy drones and other targets which are beyond the range of standard weapons, the Wall Street Journal said.

Shahed-136 has proven tough to be tackled by the Ukrainian military since it is programmed to hit a coordinate, and there is no communication link to disrupt, making it harder to jam.

The timeline given by the undersecretary of defence for policy Colin Kahl to the WSJ for the delivery of the Vampire system is nine months with additional systems to be provided in a year or two.

This indicates that the US expects the war to continue in Ukraine and will also provide support to Ukraine, thus contributing to the global issues arising from Russia’s so-called ‘military operation’ on its neighbour.

The recent announcements made by the Biden administration with respect to military aid includes certain items which will be delivered over many years, which also goes on to show that the US expects this war to be prolonged but has said the moves display the US’ long-term commitment to supporting Kyiv.

Ukraine also told the WSJ that it is speaking to a number of US-based companies on how to combat the Iranian drone, the Shahed-136.

The US is yet to issue a contract for the counter-drone system, the Department of Defence and the company making the drones said in the report.

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg earlier this week said that it will supply Ukraine with ‘counter-drone systems, hundreds of jammers’ to specifically respond to the threat posed by Shahed-136.

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