'Cheap air-to-air missile': Ukraine has turned a vintage 55-year-old Russian-designed Antonov An-28 twin-propeller aircraft into a versatile A-10 Warthog-type platform complete with Gatling-class gun, VR headsets to intercept Russian Shahed drones
The aircraft carries a six-barrel Gatling-class M134 Minigun
by https://www.techradar.com/uk/author/efosa-udinmwen · TechRadarNews By Efosa Udinmwen published 5 May 2026
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- Vintage Antonov An-28 now operates as a mobile anti-drone platform
- Ukrainian crews report destroying 222 Russian Shahed drones using the onboard minigun
- Antonov An-28 supports two drone models, SkyFall P1-Sun and Merops AS-3 Surveyor
A 55-year-old turboprop airplane originally designed for short-range cargo and passenger flights has found an entirely new vocation over Ukrainian skies.
The Antonov An-28, a Russian-designed twin-propeller aircraft from the Soviet era, now operates as a mobile anti-drone weapons platform.
Ukrainian forces have equipped this vintage airframe with a six-barrel M134 Minigun, underwing interceptor drones, and virtual reality headsets for night targeting.
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From utility transport to drone hunter
The An-28 was never intended for combat; its original mission involved hauling supplies and people from short, unimproved airstrips.
The aircraft’s short takeoff and landing capability now serves a different purpose, allowing it to operate from austere forward bases close to the front lines.
Ukrainian pilot Tymur Fatkullin, who has documented many extemporized aviation initiatives, first published a video of the armed An-28.
His crew relies on air traffic controllers to guide it into areas where Russian Shahed drones are active, then uses infrared cameras and night vision goggles to spot the mostly nocturnal targets.
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