---
title: "\"Predator\" Modules on AFU Helicopters: How Automatic Target Acquisition Is Changing the Hunt for \"Shaheds\""
description: "A specialist from Prytula's foundation spoke about the \"Predator\" modules for AFU helicopters: the system provides automatic target acquisition and reduces ammunition consumption, but it is not designed for jet-powered drones."
date: 2026-09-04T07:44:01.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/predator-modules-on-afu-helicopters-hunting-shaheds
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# "Predator" Modules on AFU Helicopters: How Automatic Target Acquisition Is Changing the Hunt for "Shaheds"

![UAF military helicopter in camouflage in flight equipped with the 'Predator' module for automatic interception of Shahed drones](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/04/moduli-hishchnik-na-vertoletah-vs-uhota-na-shahedy/moduli-hishchnik-na-vertoletah-vs-uhota-na-shahedy-1.webp)

Serhiy Prytula's charity foundation continues to expand the arsenal of means that allow Ukrainian aviation to effectively counter massed drone attacks. In a comment to RBC-Ukraine, the foundation's procurement specialist Anton Pyzhikov revealed details on how the "Predator" modules, installed on AFU combat helicopters, work. According to him, the system significantly increases the effectiveness of hunting enemy "Shaheds" thanks to several key technological advantages that change the very tactics of interception.

### Technological advantages of the system

"The 'Predator' module increases the effectiveness of aviation in hunting enemy 'Shaheds.' The system has several main technological advantages. Among them are remote control, automatic target acquisition and tracking," Pyzhikov noted. The automation of the guidance process means that the pilot no longer needs to manually hold the course on a fast-maneuvering target: the system itself locks onto the drone and tracks it until it is destroyed, which reduces reaction time and increases the probability of a hit.

### Crew safety and ammunition savings

The operational advantages of the module go beyond pure technology. Thanks to the increased range of aimed fire, the helicopter can maintain a safe distance from the target, reducing the risk of being hit by debris from a downed drone. In addition, the system reduces the amount of ammunition spent per kill — a factor that is critically important during massed raids. The ergonomics also deserve mention: the operator no longer has to work at an open doorway during flight. Control is carried out from a console inside the cargo/passenger compartment, which, according to the expert, is of decisive importance in the cold season, when working in the frost without protection sharply reduces the accuracy and endurance of the personnel.

### Limitations: jet-powered drones are out of scope

Despite the list of merits, Pyzhikov emphasized an important nuance: the "Predator" system is not intended for use against jet-powered drones of the "Shahed" type. Its focus is on other types of hostile targets, primarily turboprop and electric UAVs, which make up the bulk of attacking drones. This means that for intercepting high-speed jet-powered aircraft, the AFU continue to rely on other air defense systems and anti-aircraft complexes, while the "Predator" occupies its own niche in the multi-layered defense system.

### Context: escalation of the drone war

The Russian side has substantially changed its approaches to the manufacture and use of drones during attacks on Ukrainian cities. The intensity of their use has increased several times over: according to the Center for Countering Disinformation, Russia launches jet-powered drones at Kyiv in waves, seeking to exhaust the air defense system and paralyze the capital's daily life with constant air-raid alerts. The enemy's industry is working at an accelerated pace — jet-powered drones are sent across Ukraine almost straight off the assembly line, bypassing prolonged storage in warehouses. Under such conditions, every percentage point of increased interception efficiency provided by modules like the "Predator" directly affects the preservation of infrastructure and the lives of civilians.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [AI-powered modules against "Shaheds": expert explains whether they will shoot down jet-powered drones](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/moduli-shi-proti-shahediv-ekspert-poyasniv-1788507616.html) - Подтверждено по источнику rbc.ua