Ukrainian Specter EW Systems Pass US Counter-Drone Trials

Ukrainian defense technology company Phantom Defense has demonstrated its Specter family of electronic warfare systems and the Streamhunter video interception platform during the Gauntlet II trials in the US.According to Militarnyi, during the operational evaluations, Phantom Defense deployed an integrated counter-unmanned aerial vehicle (C-UAV) architecture combining radio-frequency jamming, video signal interception, and an automated command-and-control (C2) interface designed to identify, classify, and neutralize airborne targets. According to company representatives, all radio-controlled platforms evaluated during the relevant test phase were disrupted by the Ukrainian systems.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “Not a single radio-controlled platform passed the tests without being affected by our systems,” Phantom Defense told Militarnyi. “In various cases, the interference targeted the control channel, video channel, or other elements of the radio link.” While specific drone models and competing manufacturers involved in the evaluations were not publicly disclosed, US evaluators invited Phantom Defense to participate in subsequent testing cycles and technical demonstrations under the program. Streamhunter system The company presented several electronic warfare configurations tailored for varied operational echelons during the US trials. For fixed positions, the company demonstrated the Specter PRO, a directional and omnidirectional dome-type jamming complex engineered to protect platoon strongpoints, brigade command centers, and critical infrastructure installations from loitering munitions and tactical reconnaissance aircraft. Other Topics of Interest Interview: Georgian Conductor Nikoloz Rachveli on Music, Ukraine and Solidarity Georgian conductor, pianist and composer Nikoloz Rachveli has repeatedly visited Ukraine. He speaks about music in wartime, Giya Kancheli and the power of cultural solidarity. For frontline tactical formations, Phantom Defense evaluated its compact mobile systems – including the Specter L, Specter X, and Specter XL. These variants are designed for vehicle mounting and dismounted fire teams operating in electronically contested sectors near the forward edge of battle. The trials also featured Streamhunter, a dedicated signal-interception system capable of capturing and decoding live video feeds transmitted by adversary drones. Data gathered by Streamhunter and the Specter jammers were fed into a unified C2 management system, which provided real-time situational awareness and automated jamming protocols. Phantom Defense noted that testing inside the US took place under strict regulatory constraints on radio frequency emissions, which differed from the operational parameters encountered under electronic warfare conditions in Ukraine. The manufacturer reported that its equipment has an established combat record in Ukraine, with company-tracked systems recording the detection of more than 11,000 reconnaissance and strike drones and confirming more than 7,000 video-verified neutralizations. Pentagon’s Drone Dominance program The evaluations form part of Gauntlet II, an assessment stage within the US Department of Defense’s $1 billion Drone Dominance program. The initiative aims to procure small unmanned aircraft and counter-drone systems over a two-year timeframe, with projected acquisitions exceeding 200,000 units through 2027. The participation of Phantom Defense highlights expanding technical collaboration between the Ukrainian defense-industrial sector and the US armed forces. In a related procurement under the Drone Dominance initiative, the US military ordered an additional 1,320 F10 combat strike drones from Ukrainian manufacturer F-Drones, extending the first commercial export of Ukrainian-produced strike drones to the Pentagon. The contract followed an initial batch of 2,000 F10 drones shipped to US defense authorities in July under an official permit issued by Ukraine’s State Export Control Service. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.