Ukraine Unveils Besomar 3210, a Reusable ‘Shotgun Drone’ to Counter Russian Geran-2 Attacks

Lviv, August 16, 2025 – Ukraine has unveiled a new weapon in its fight against Russia’s relentless drone strikes: the Besorar 3210, a reusable interceptor drone that uses a 12-gauge shotgun and automated targeting system to shoot down enemy drones at close range. The aircraft was showcased at the IRON DEMO 2025 defense exhibition in Lviv, highlighting Ukraine’s rapid push to innovate under the pressures of war.

How It Works

The Besomar 3210 is a fixed-wing drone launched from a ground catapult, capable of flying at speeds of 150 to 200 km/h with an endurance of about one hour. It carries a thermal camera for day and night tracking, while its onboard computer and automated fire-control system calculate when to fire, releasing shotgun rounds at a distance of roughly 20 meters for a high-probability hit.

The prototype carries two cartridges, with the potential to expand to four in future versions. Designed with reusability in mind, the drone can be recovered, rearmed, and relaunched multiple times per day. A frequency-hopping communication system makes it resistant to Russian jamming efforts, ensuring stable guidance in contested airspace.

Answering Russia’s Drone Swarms

Ukraine is facing an unprecedented drone threat, with over 6,000 Russian drones launched in a single recent month — the highest rate since the start of the full-scale invasion. Most of these are Geran-2 loitering munitions (the Russian version of Iran’s Shahed-136), which are cheap, numerous, and difficult to stop without expending costly air-defense missiles.

The Besomar 3210 provides a low-cost alternative: instead of using million-dollar missiles to shoot down drones worth only tens of thousands, Ukraine can rely on interceptors like the Besomar that are cheaper to build, operate, and reuse.

Specifications at a Glance

• Launch method: Ground catapult

• Speed: 150–200 km/h

• Endurance: ~60 minutes

• Sensors: Thermal camera + automated targeting

• Comms: Jam-resistant frequency-hopping system

• Weapons: 12-gauge shotgun (2–4 cartridges)

• Effective range: ~20 meters

• Recovery: Reusable, quick turnaround for multiple sorties

Part of a Larger Strategy

Kyiv is not relying on a single solution. The Besomar 3210 is part of a broader layered defense approach, combining electronic warfare to jam drones, ground-based air-defense systems to protect critical infrastructure, and interceptor drones to sweep up what gets through. Ukrainian officials have set an ambitious goal of producing hundreds to over a thousand interceptors daily, aiming to create a constant defensive screen over major cities and power plants.

The Besomar 3210 may not be a silver bullet, but it reflects Ukraine’s ability to adapt quickly and innovate under fire. With its reusability, automation, and affordability, the drone is designed to blunt Russia’s strategy of overwhelming Ukrainian defenses with sheer numbers. If produced at scale, it could play a decisive role in keeping Ukraine’s skies safer from nightly drone raids.