In order to effectively and cost-efficiently take down loitering munitions deployed by Russia – particularly the Shahed-131/136 model – Ukraine is increasingly relying on so-called interceptor drones.
According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence, more than 33,000 Russian drones of various types were intercepted this way in March 2026 alone. That is more than twice as many as just one month earlier!
In order to meet the ever-increasing demand, the government in Kyiv is more and more turning to various partner nations that have been supporting Ukraine in its defence against the Russian aggression for years.
This involves not only additional funding for the production of Ukrainian models such as the WIY STRILA interceptor drone, but also the production and delivery of Western equipment to supplement Ukrainian models.
This also appears to be the case for the METIS interceptor drone developed by Germany’s TYTAN Technologies, which has already proven its value in NATO competitions, with two brigades of the German Armed Forces, and in extensive tests in Ukraine.
According to a source familiar with the deliveries, the German government contracted the Munich-based start-up several weeks ago to produce and supply more than 1,000 of these interceptor drones to the National Guard of Ukraine.
Upon inquiry, a company spokesperson neither confirmed nor denied the contract for “security reasons”, but highlighted the “long-standing cooperation with the Ukrainian Armed Forces” and stated that the company is on site 365 days a year to support Ukraine in its defence efforts.
The METIS to be supplied to the National Guard of Ukraine is an AI-powered interceptor drone with a range of over 45 kilometres, capable of effectively engaging targets at altitudes of up to 6 kilometres.
Thanks to a flight speed of up to 400 kilometres per hour, it is specifically designed to engage extremely fast aerial targets, but can also be used without any problems to intercept slower targets.
METIS can optionally be fitted with a warhead weighing around 1 kilogram, which means it does not rely solely on kinetic energy and the hit-to-kill principle, which should noticeably increase its interception rate.
It is interesting to note just how autonomously the interceptor drone developed by TYTAN Technologies now operates.
Once an enemy drone has been detected, the data required for the interception manoeuvre – such as precise coordinates and flying speed – is transmitted to the METIS control station.
There, artificial intelligence is used to pinpoint a suitable interception zone. This not only guarantees the highest possible chance of success for the interception manoeuvre, but also helps to avoid collateral damage.
The operator then gives the go-ahead for the drone to take off, which navigates autonomously using built-in AI capabilities and, once authorised, performs the final approach and the actual interception of the target.
However, for obvious reasons, I don’t want to go into further details about the terms of the contract or any additional specifications of the drone at this point.
Ultimately, the financing of the more than 1,000 METIS drones will certainly not only benefit the National Guard of Ukraine.
Regular deployment in Ukraine is likely to provide further data to enable the Munich-based start-up to continuously adapt its interceptor drones, which the German Armed Forces intends to soon deploy as part of a state-of-the-art drone defence system to protect its premises and the equipment stationed there, to the latest target systems.
Editor’s note
A detailed, transparent and fair media coverage of Germany’s support for Ukraine is of the utmost importance. However, this must not be at the expense of Ukraine, which has been bravely defending itself against the Russian aggressor for more than four years.
For security reasons, I have therefore decided not to disclose various details regarding this contract. These include, amongst other things, the exact scope of the contract, financial details and specifics regarding delivery to the National Guard of Ukraine.
Your understanding is appreciated.
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