Ukrainian volunteers convert An-28 into gunship to down Iranian-made drones
Updated
Updated · avbrief.com · May 8
Ukrainian volunteers convert An-28 into gunship to down Iranian-made drones
9 articles · Updated · avbrief.com · May 8
The 50-year-old Russian-built turboprop carries an M134 Minigun firing 7.62mm rounds at up to 6,000 a minute, with each kill using about $500 of ammunition.
The team says it has destroyed hundreds of Shahed kamikaze drones, which cost tens of thousands of dollars and have been among Russia's most effective weapons against Ukrainian infrastructure.
Although the pilots and gunners are civilians rather than serving troops, they operate under Ukrainian military control and receive orders from military units in the war with Russia.
Can Ukraine’s DIY drone killers outpace Russia’s new, much faster kamikaze drones?
As Ukraine exports its drone expertise, how will this reshape modern warfare globally?
Over 370 Drones Neutralized: Ukraine’s An-28 Drone Hunter Revolutionizes Asymmetric Air Defense
Overview
In response to Russia's extensive use of low-cost attack drones, Ukraine transformed the An-28 utility aircraft into an effective drone hunter by equipping it with miniguns and air-launched interceptor drones. Operating from austere front-line airstrips thanks to the An-28's STOL capability, volunteer crews have successfully neutralized over 370 hostile drones between 2023 and 2026. This system achieves significant cost efficiency, combining inexpensive minigun fire with affordable interceptor drones, which has attracted interest from NATO allies and prompted Russia to consider similar countermeasures. Despite vulnerabilities and technical limits, ongoing plans to integrate advanced radar, AI, and multi-platform deployment aim to enhance this innovative asymmetric air defense approach.