Defence Ministry codifies "Cyclops" UAS capable of intercepting "Shaheds"
Drone Industry
High manoeuvrability, precise and smooth control at different speeds, and strong tactical and technical performance – the Ministry of Defence has codified and approved the effective Ukrainian-made Cyclops unmanned aircraft system for use by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It is designed to engage enemy air and ground targets.
Censor.NET reports this, citing Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence.
The Cyclops UAS was developed by a Ukrainian company experienced in manufacturing weapons and military equipment specifically for missions in modern high-intensity warfare.
Different Cyclops variants have been operating on the front for several years.
Advantages of Cyclops UAS
The Cyclops UAS has several variants designed for different military missions:
- some are cheaper, simpler in design and easier to operate, and are intended to engage ground targets or air targets moving slowly at low altitude;
- others have significantly higher tactical and technical performance and are designed to effectively engage high-speed Shahed drones at high altitude.
The Cyclops UAV has a wingspan of slightly more than one metre and can remain airborne for almost 1.5 hours. It can fly higher than the maximum operating altitude of Russian attack or reconnaissance UAVs.
The system’s range is sufficient to protect any Ukrainian regional capital from unmanned aerial attack systems.
The Cyclops UAV’s compact size and high speed significantly reduce its vulnerability to enemy weapons.
Which Russian UAVs the Cyclops interceptor shoots down
The Cyclops V2 UAV has already destroyed more than one hundred aerial targets.
These include:
- Herbera;
- ZALA;
- Orlan;
- Supercam;
- Lancet;
- Molniya;
- and others.
It was a Cyclops that intercepted the first Russian Shahed over Russia’s Kursk region.
As a reminder, the Ministry of Defence previously codified and approved the Ukrainian-made Shvidun unmanned aircraft system for use by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
