Ukraine will receive Britain’s new Terrahawk Paladin air defense system to protect critical infrastructure from expected Russian drone and missile attacks, which will intensify as the cold season approaches.

A new package of military support for Ukraine worth more than $120 million was announced on Wednesday by British Defense Secretary Grant Shapp, according to a statement published on the government’s website in London.

“Today I am proud to announce that the United Kingdom, together with our allies, is delivering on its promise by signing new contracts to provide Ukraine with critical air defense systems to protect civilians from Putin’s barbaric bombings,” British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said.

The military aid package will help the Ukrainian armed forces to clear minefields, maintain equipment and strengthen air defenses to protect critical infrastructure and civilians.

The package also includes an unspecified number of Terrahawk Paladin systems, a platform that can track and destroy drones and protect critical infrastructure often targeted by Russian kamikaze drone attacks.

Ukraine urgently needs air defense, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this week, and the Terrahawk Paladin will help protect citizens and civilian infrastructure from attacks by Vladimir Putin.

The new Terrahawk Paladin system is developed by MSI-Defence Systems (MSI-DS).

What is the Terrahawk Paladin System?

The Terrahawk Paladin was first shown in September 2022, and an improved version was shown in September 2023, The Kyiv Post notes.

The system already has classic anti-drone technology: an automatic gun combined with a digital fire control system and an all-weather radar.

The Terrahawk Paladin is described by the manufacturer as a very short-range air defense system against unmanned aerial vehicles.

It was originally designed as static protection equipment, but can be fitted to a NATO standard truck, according to the manufacturer.

Complex sensor and high-performance radars

The system consists of a combination of complex sensors to detect and track enemy drones. It includes four radars, providing 360-degree coverage, mounted on a retractable arm.

Radars manufactured by the Polish company Advanced Protection Systems (APS), which are used to protect Warsaw Chopin International Airport.

The technology allows you to successfully attack targets initially detected at a distance of up to 600 meters, which can be very useful if they are located in urban areas or near infrastructure facilities.

The “new killer drone” can be used as a single autonomous point defense weapon or as part of a network of up to six Paladin Terrahawks that can be controlled from a single point and exchange data with each other to create a coordinated area defense system.

Seahwak Naval Weapon Systems, from which the Terrahawk Paladin is derived, developed by MSI-DS, are in active service on ships around the world and provide reliable protection against surface and air threats to the UK Royal Navy and more than 40 other navies internationally.

The British government specified that the equipment provided for in the new military package “will arrive” in Ukraine in the coming months.