Ukraine's Griffen Jet-Interceptor Enters Combat as Drones Turn Faster

Twenty Ukrainian firms are racing to field jet-powered interceptors to counter Russia’s faster Shahed drones. Firebolt Engineering already has a Griffen interceptor in combat with two Air Force units and Ukraine’s special forces, as Russia deployed over 2,500 jet-powered drones in August. Four interceptor systems have cleared field testing and are moving toward mass production, with Griffen currently using Chinese engines while Dynamic Propulsion develops a bespoke turbojet. Firebolt can produce about 30 Griffens per month, but full autonomy is hampered by Ukraine’s radar gaps, delaying an operatorless system. The Griffen’s first confirmed kill was on a conventional-engine Geran, not a jet-powered drone.,