KYIV : The Ukrainian aerospace firm First Parsec has secured a production contract to begin manufacturing its SHOOM-20 pulsejet engine, marking another step in Ukraine’s efforts to expand domestically produced long-range unmanned aerial capabilities.
The agreement, announced through the company’s official communications, covers the manufacture of an initial batch of SHOOM-20 engines intended for flight trials and technical validation. The engine is designed for low-cost, fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and is aimed at extending operational range while maintaining simplified production and domestic supply chains.
Engine Performance And Testing Results
The SHOOM-20 is a pulsejet propulsion system in the 20-kilogram thrust class. According to First Parsec, the engine has completed bench tests demonstrating 17 minutes of continuous operation. For pulsejet technology, which operates under high vibration and thermal stress, this duration is considered a key benchmark for confirming structural stability and sustained combustion.
Company engineers say the achieved endurance allows planners to project an operational range of approximately 800 kilometers when the engine is integrated into a fixed-wing drone with an appropriate fuel system. While the current test results do not yet reflect the engine’s final target performance, First Parsec has stated that ongoing development is focused on achieving stable operation for up to two hours. Such endurance would further increase mission flexibility for long-range UAV platforms.
The SHOOM-20 was first publicly demonstrated in early December during an engine test intended to verify design improvements and validate thermal and mechanical behavior under sustained load.
Production Capacity And Cost Structure
First Parsec reports an existing production capacity of up to 400 engines per month. The company says this figure can be increased to approximately 1,000 units monthly if required, through production optimization and expanded manufacturing shifts.
The current unit cost of the SHOOM-20 is about $750. According to the company, large-volume orders would allow the price to be reduced to around $500 per engine, reflecting the simplicity of the pulsejet design and economies of scale.
Intended Platforms And Future Variants
At present, the SHOOM-20 is the company’s sole production model. It is intended for use on two fixed-wing UAV platforms under development by First Parsec: KROOK-1, a long-range strike drone designed to carry a payload over extended distances, and SUETA-1, a decoy and target drone intended to engage and saturate air-defense systems.
In parallel, the company plans to expand its propulsion lineup. Two additional pulsejet models, designated SHOOM-7 and SHOOM-40, are expected to enter testing in the coming months, covering lower- and higher-thrust requirements for different UAV classes.
Pulsejet Technology And Design Approach
Pulsejet engines are among the simplest forms of jet propulsion. They operate through repeated, rapid cycles in which air enters a combustion chamber, mixes with fuel, and ignites, producing thrust impulses dozens or hundreds of times per second. After each combustion pulse, pressure drops, fresh air enters the chamber, and the process repeats. This operating principle produces a distinctive pulsating sound.
The main advantages of pulsejet engines are their mechanical simplicity and low manufacturing cost. They do not require compressors or turbines, reducing the need for precision machining and specialized materials. As a result, pulsejets are easier to mass-produce and are generally more tolerant of debris, contamination, or partial damage than more complex jet engines.
Broader Context And Funding
The SHOOM-20 program has received partial support through grants from the Ukrainian state defense innovation cluster Brave1, which coordinates development projects across government, industry, and military partners. Reporting on the engine’s progress and testing milestones has also been carried by Militarnyi.
With the production contract now in place, First Parsec’s SHOOM-20 is positioned as a domestically produced propulsion option for long-range UAVs, emphasizing affordability, scalability, and local manufacturing as Ukraine continues to develop its unmanned aviation capabilities.
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