Russia modifies Soviet-era Yak-52 and An-2 aircraft to air-Launch FPV interceptor drones

Russia arms Soviet-era aircraft with airborne FPV interceptor drone launch systems
Yak-52 trainer receives six launch rails for interceptor drone operations
Eighty-year-old An-2 gains unexpected role in modern aerial drone warfare

Russia has begun fitting Yak-52 trainer aircraft and An-2 utility planes with equipment designed for launching FPV interceptor drones against enemy UAVs.

A video released by the Russian unit BARS-Sarmat revealed two distinct aircraft configurations built for airborne drone launches.

One configuration is intended for ground launch, while the second version allows interceptor drones to be deployed directly from the air against approaching targets.

Yak-52 trials raise questions over cockpit space and drone targets

The Yak-52 trainer aircraft carries six external launch rails mounted beneath its wings to hold interceptor drones ready for deployment.

The footage shows the aircraft taking off while carrying only four drones despite six visible launch positions on the airframe.

The Yak-52 is designed with a limited two-seat cockpit space, making it unclear how drone control is performed aboard this aircraft, as it appears to leave little room for equipment typically required to operate FPV interceptor systems mid-flight.

Russian interceptor drones were also shown engaging several Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles during the same exercise.

Some of the drones struck during the exercise reportedly appeared to be Maya decoys, alongside several other unidentified UAV types caught on camera during the flight.

The Yak-52 conversion allows an aircraft originally built for pilot instruction to assume a completely different battlefield function without requiring an entirely new airframe.

Although several technical details remain undisclosed, the aircraft marks Russia’s latest attempt to combine existing aviation platforms with lower-cost counter-drone technology.

An-2’s larger cabin enables onboard control

The An-2 forms the second element of the programme, with its larger cabin providing sufficient space for onboard drone control equipment unavailable inside the more compact Yak-52.

Interceptor drones are launched from a fuselage-mounted attachment point, although Russia has not yet disclosed the aircraft’s maximum payload or whether additional underwing launch stations will be introduced.

First introduced about 80 years ago, the An-2 remains one of the world’s longest-serving utility aircraft and continues operating in both military and civilian aviation roles.

Russia has previously announced plans to restore 700 Soviet-era An-2 aircraft, making the interceptor drone programme another effort to extend the operational value of the aging fleet.

The concept bears similarities to Ukraine’s earlier decision to adapt An-28 aircraft for launching P1-SUN interceptor drones equipped with an optical targeting system against Shahed UAVs.

Those modified aircraft can carry as many as six interceptor drones while supporting Ukraine’s layered air defence network as a lower-cost alternative to conventional air-to-air missiles.

The latest Russian conversion illustrates how both sides are increasingly adapting legacy aircraft for counter-drone missions by pairing older airframes with modern FPV interceptor technology.