Ukrainian Interceptor Drones Will Become the Basis of the European “Drone Wall”

Ukrainian interceptor drones, which will be manufactured in the UK as part of the OCTOPUS project, will become the basis of a European “drone wall” to counter Russian drones.

British Defense Secretary John Healey announced this in an interview with The Telegraph.

The OCTOPUS project itself involves the mass production of interceptor drones in the UK, developed in cooperation with Ukraine.

According to the Secretary, these drones have already proven effective in the fight against Iranian Shahed kamikaze drones, while their cost is less than one-tenth that of their foreign counterparts.

The newest systems are to be deployed on the borders of NATO allies as part of the so-called “drone wall” to deter the increasingly frequent intrusions of Russian aircraft and drones into NATO airspace.

In the future, the OCTOPUS drones could also become an element of missile defense to protect military installations and critical infrastructure in the UK.

It should be noted that the announcement of the joint OCTOPUS project between Ukraine and the United Kingdom took place on September 11, 2025, at the DSEI exhibition in London as part of an agreement on the exchange of defense technologies between the countries.

In addition, in early September 2025, Ukrainian drone manufacturer Ukrspecsystems announced an investment of £200 million (approximately $250 million) to build a new plant in Mildenhall, UK.

It is worth noting that today the UK is one of the leaders in the development of unmanned systems in Europe and is actively cooperating with Ukraine by expanding production capacity and adopting new technologies.

In addition, the country is implementing joint projects with partners to develop various types of drones for Ukraine, including the COOKSON project, which aims to create a universal maritime drone for operations in Ukraine and abroad.

The project aims to design a compact, high-speed assault ship equipped with a modular weapon system and payload, capable of operating in challenging conditions.

The drone should serve as a reusable platform, be resistant to enemy electronic warfare systems, and be able to attack targets even in the event of signal loss. The drone will be equipped with at least two weapons, which should be aimed at the target for optimal effect.

The Ministry of Defense has identified several key capabilities of the COOKSON system:

• Maximum speed – more than 40 knots even in three-point sea conditions.
• The range is about 1300 km with a full load and a minimum autonomy of 72 hours.
• Low silhouette and ability to counter electronic warfare, as well as autonomous operation in case of signal loss.
• The ability to carry several missiles with a high-explosive warhead and a range of 30-100 km.
• The ability to conduct air defense to protect against threats such as helicopters and drones.