Contra air defense: German anti-drone missiles under $100,000
USD 21,83
Popular
A German company is offering the Contra air defense system, designed to intercept Russian jet-powered drones and cruise missiles. It is controlled by artificial intelligence, and its main advantage is the price of its missiles: each costs up to $100,000 (about 2.2 million crowns).
The system can be fitted with two types of high-speed interceptor missiles: the AD-1 Inferno and the AD-2 Ambush. By comparison, missiles for the Patriot cost up to five million dollars (109 million crowns) apiece, while a single NASAMS shot costs roughly one million dollars (21.8 million crowns). Contra is expected to be ready for deployment in late 2027.
Why new interceptors are needed
Russian Geran drones, built on the Iranian Shaheds, originally had propeller engines and flew at low speeds, which allowed Ukrainian air defense to intercept up to 90 percent of them. In recent months, however, Russia has begun producing and using the Geran-4 and Geran-5, which reach speeds of 400 to 700 kilometers per hour.
Russia has reportedly increased its output of such drones and cruise missiles recently, to as many as 4,000 a month.
What Contra can do
The manufacturer presents Contra as an autonomous, AI-driven solution. The system can detect and destroy hundreds of threats, such as drones and missiles, in real time within a single picture of the air situation.
Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz
