Destruction of UAVs and Infantry: Ukraine Codifies Chief-1 Combat Drone

The Chief-1 unmanned aerial system has been officially approved for use by Ukraine’s Defense Forces.

It is designed to target enemy aircraft and personnel.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense announced the codification of the domestic drone system, stating that the Chief-1 is a copter-type combat drone with a lightweight, durable frame, powerful engines, and high maneuverability — features that make it suitable for aerial combat.

The Chief-1 is armed with a twin-barrel shotgun module to engage enemy drones and infantry.

The drone is equipped with automated target recognition and distance-measuring systems to optimize engagement.

Its weapon system can operate in both manual and automatic modes.

The Chief-1 is capable of intercepting and destroying Russian FPV loitering munitions, bomb-dropping drones, and various reconnaissance and correction drones.

The Ministry of Defense did not disclose further specifications.

VARTA DroneHunter

A similar Ukrainian concept was presented at the Drone Summit 2025 in Latvia: the VARTA DroneHunter interception system.

Mounted on multirotor drones, the system is designed for the kinetic destruction of small and medium-sized UAVs in combat conditions.

It features two 12-gauge barrels with a recoil mitigation mechanism based on synchronized counterfire.

The dual-barrel unit is loaded with a specialized anti-drone cartridge featuring electrical ignition. Its effective range allows it to destroy targets at distances of 5 to 20 meters.

According to developers, the 2.3 kg system can be integrated into FPV drones with sizes ranging from 7 to 15 inches.