- Jetkiller hits 370 km/h to chase faster Russian Shahed attack drones
- The original P1-SUN is said to have already destroyed more than 5,500 Russian drones
- SkyFall plans mass production of the upgraded interceptor starting in August 2026
Ukrainian drone maker SkyFall has unveiled the P1-SUN Jetkiller, an upgraded interceptor designed to counter Russia’s jet-powered Shahed attack drones.
The new model made its public debut at the recent Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom.
According to PK Press Clubthe Jetkiller reaches a top speed of 370 km/h, compared to 310 km/h on the standard P1-SUN.
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A solution to Russian jet Shaheds
Russia has begun equipping some Shahed attack drones with jet engines instead of propellers, allowing speeds of up to 500 km/h, significantly narrowing the window Ukraine’s air defenses have to detect and intercept incoming drones.
Yurii Cherevachenko, a senior commander in the Ukrainian Air Force, said PK Press Club that 15-20% of Russia’s current Shahed drones are already equipped with jet engines.
A SkyFall company representative revealed that development of the P1-SUN Jetkiller began approximately three months before its debut at the Farnborough Airshow.
During its combat trials, the Jetkiller reportedly shot down more than a dozen jet-powered Shahed drones before entering mass production.
The company plans to begin full mass production of the Jetkiller in August 2026, once its combat tests are completed.
The rapid development of interceptors in Ukraine indicates growing pressure to counter increasingly fast Shahed drone variants at the front.
SkyFall says its current production capacity can build up to 50,000 interceptor drones each month.
The original P1-SUN, introduced in November 2025, is estimated to have destroyed more than 5,500 Russian drones, according to SkyFall.
A long list of rival interceptors
The threat posed by low-cost attack drones was a major talking point throughout this year’s Farnborough Airshow, with several companies showcasing new counter-drone systems, including European missile maker MBDA and US firm Lockheed Martin.
Ukrainian developer General Cherry is finalizing a faster version of its Bullet interceptor capable of exceeding 400 km/h during tests.
The company has set itself a long-term goal of eventually reaching speeds of up to 500 km/h with its future variants.
Anglo-Ukrainian company Firebolt Engineering recently confirmed the first known combat interception of a jet-powered Shahed drone using its Griffen system.
Firebolt says the Griffen, designed as a cheaper alternative to conventional air defense missiles, can exceed 350 km/h in flight.
The system is now entering increased production as Ukrainian and allied companies continue to race toward ever-faster interceptor drone designs.
Air defense officials have not said whether the Griffen or Bullet interceptors would reach mass production on a similar scale.
The rapid pace of interceptor development suggests that Ukraine views drone speed as essential to countering rapidly evolving Russian aerial threats overall.
It remains difficult to independently verify at this stage whether the production claims of several manufacturers hold up under prolonged wartime conditions.
Via United24Media
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