UNITED24 Media
Ukrainian forces have successfully intercepted at least 21 Russian Shahed-type attack drones using the new Tempest short-range air defense system, according to a video released by the Ukrainian Air Force’s Central Command on January 13, 2026.
According to Defense Express, the footage shows Ukrainian personnel operating the American-made system in what appears to be footage filmed several months earlier, likely in autumn or early winter, based on environmental cues.
Ukrainian soldiers praised the system’s mobility and quick deployment capability, which proved critical during recent nighttime attacks in eastern Ukraine.
Tempest, developed by US-based defense contractor V2X, was first publicly unveiled in October 2025 at the AUSA defense exhibition. At the time, the company said the system was designed for mobile airspace protection in response to lessons learned from the war in Ukraine.
However, evidence now suggests that the system had already been in Ukrainian service for months prior to the official debut.