Russian defense manufacturer Kalashnikov, part of Rostec, has publicly unveiled its new Zveroboy air defense system for the first time. The complex is designed to protect critical infrastructure from drones and is capable of operating around the clock, including in darkness.
The company lists several UAVs used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces among the system’s intended targets, including the Leleka, Lyutyi, Bober and Hornet-XR.
Zveroboy uses high-speed multirotor Kraken interceptor drones to destroy aerial targets. Kalashnikov has not disclosed the type of warhead carried by the interceptor. The system has three launch containers, with three Kraken drones housed in each of them.
A separate version, the Kraken-N, is equipped with a thermal imaging camera, allowing the interceptor to operate at night.
The complex also includes a radar station, optical targeting equipment and an automated command post fitted with a digital repeater. Its sensors can be mounted on a mast to increase the area covered by the system, Voennoye Obozreniye reported.
Zveroboy can be deployed in several configurations. It can operate from a fixed position or be mounted on a mobile platform, including a standard pickup truck or a trailer.
Kalashnikov has so far withheld the main technical specifications of the new system. The company has not revealed the Kraken’s flight range or speed, its maximum operating altitude, the characteristics of the detection equipment or its accuracy figures.
Western media noted that Zveroboy combines conventional detection and targeting equipment with interceptor drones that directly destroy airborne threats. Foreign outlets also pointed out that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have long used similar systems developed in Ukraine and the West.