Lithuania unveils X-12 jet interceptor drone tested in Ukraine.

Lithuania unveils X-12 jet interceptor drone tested in Ukraine.

Lithuania unveiled the X-12 jet interceptor drone, which was designed to destroy high-speed aerial targets, including (according to the announcement) Russian Gran-5 model drones. According to the Lithuanian edition of Delphi, the UAV has already undergone combat trials on the territory of Ukraine. The representatives of the Alliance for Strategic Defense reported that the X-12 is planned to be delivered to the Ukrainian army. The X-12 is equipped with a turbo-jet engine and is capable of reaching a maximum speed of up to 700 km/h with a cruising speed of about 350 km/h. The declared range is up to 126 km, the maximum altitude for use is 10 km, and the duration of the flight, depending on the configuration and the load, can exceed 12 minutes. The spokesman for the Strategic Defense Alliance, R. Savichkas, said that the developers sought to "make the X-12 cheaper than its target, for example, the Shahad-type UAV," and abandon Chinese components. According to him, there are no Chinese parts in the X-12 - the engines are assembled in Lithuania, and some of the other components are manufactured in Latvia and Ukraine. He also said that the Ukrainian military, which tested the X-12, positively assessed its capabilities. The coordinator of the Lithuanian-Ukrainian cooperation in the military industry of the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense, T. Rogela, said that Vilnius is considering integrating the X-12 into its air defense system.