Phantom Defense Buys Developer of KARAKURT Drone Net Launchers

Ukrainian defense technology group Phantom Defense has bought the developer of KARAKURT drone net launchers, adding a low-cost, non-explosive interceptor that frontline units have already used in more than 50,000 kits over the past six months.The company wrote that the deal covers the entire business and its team. It did not name the developer or the size of investment.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.The acquisition extends Phantom Defense beyond its core of electronic warfare (EW), target detection, kinetic interception and battle management software, and into the physical capture of drones, according to the press release.KARAKURT net launchers explainedA KARAKURT module throws a net over a target drone, entangling its rotors and ending the flight. The company wrote that enemy reconnaissance or strike drones lose control and come down largely intact. Because nothing explodes, it argued, downed drones can be examined or potentially reused by Ukraine’s Defense Forces, and the risk of collateral damage to critical and civilian infrastructure is lower. It added that net launchers cost less to make and maintain than missile- or artillery-based air defense, making large-scale deployment along the front line feasible.The product comes in two main configurations. Versions for DJI Mavic, Matrice and Autel platforms, in the M3, M4 and A4 variants, drop a net vertically from above, which the company wrote allows crews to neutralize enemy drones waiting on rooftops or on the ground. FPV and LS variants fire a net forward with a target retention mechanism to catch fast-moving targets. The company wrote that modules weighing as little as 201 g have virtually no effect on the carrier drone’s maneuverability or flight endurance. Other Topics of Interest EBRD Expands Ukraine War-Risk Insurance to $168M The expansion follows strong demand for war-risk coverage as Russian attacks continue to threaten Ukrainian businesses. The performance figures come from Phantom Defense itself and have not been independently verified. The company wrote that it has recorded more than 5,000 video-confirmed interceptions under a program that gives units free replacement consumables in exchange for footage of a successful kill.It framed the scheme as a way to cut costs for the military while feeding operational data back to developers. According to Phantom Defense, a single crew of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine intercepted more than 500 enemy drones with net modules over six months.The press release quoted an unnamed Phantom Defense representative as saying that folding KARAKURT into the company’s ecosystem meets demand among military units for effective but affordable short-range interception, and opens the way to scale a product with combat experience behind it.MANGAL – a system for vehicles and ground robotsAlongside the deal, Phantom Defense introduced MANGAL, a close-range net interception system that it has integrated into its counter-UAS ecosystem. The company wrote that the system is designed to provide point-defense protection for military vehicles, stationary positions and unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs).MANGAL pairs artificial intelligence with daylight and thermal imaging cameras to detect aerial threats and identify targets automatically. The company wrote that the interval between detection and net launch is one second. The modular system carries six net launchers and has an effective engagement range of five to 15 meters. Its built-in battery provides at least eight hours of autonomous operation, and it can also run on an extra battery module or a combat vehicle’s onboard electrical system.Phantom Defense wrote that it employs more than 620 people and operates nine production facilities with a combined capacity of more than 100 drones and 200 electronic warfare devices per day. Olena Hrazhdan is the Business Reporter at Kyiv Post, covering Ukraine’s markets, business, and economic policy. While she reports broadly on economic issues, her core focus is banking, finance, monetary and fiscal policy. Olena previously wrote for leading Ukrainian business media and became a Fellow of the International Monetary Fund’s Journalism Fellowship in 2024.