Terra Drone Commences Real Combat Operations of Fixed-Wing Interceptor Drone 'Terra A2' in Ukraine

Terra Drone Corporation (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Toru Tokushige; hereinafter "Terra Drone") announced that it has commenced operations of the "Terra A2" fixed-wing interceptor drone under actual combat conditions in Ukraine. The drone is jointly developed with WinnyLab LLC (hereinafter "WinnyLab"), a Ukrainian defense tech company in which Terra Drone's subsidiary, Terra Inspectioneering, has invested. This initiative advances combat-proven validation through continuous operation in actual combat environments. It is an important step toward verifying the practicality of fixed-wing interceptor drones for wide-area air defense, acquiring field operation data, and anticipating future expansion into the global defense market. Furthermore, by combining it with the "Terra A1" rocket-type interceptor drone, which has already been deployed and confirmed to have successfully intercepted targets, the company will promote the realization of a multi-layered defense system. Background In recent years, mass attacks by low-cost, long-range unmanned aerial vehicles, represented by the Shahed, have become a serious threat to critical infrastructure, urban areas, and civilian life, particularly in the Middle East and Ukraine. Relying continuously on expensive interceptor missiles to counter such threats has raised concerns regarding defense costs and sustainability. Consequently, there is a global demand to establish new air defense infrastructure that can "proactively address low-cost threats through sustainable means before they arrive." Amidst this, while the interceptor drone market is expanding rapidly worldwide, the number of companies whose products are continuously operated in actual combat environments and functioning properly through improvement cycles is extremely limited globally. In the international market, being combat-proven is a crucial factor for equipment adoption in the defense sector, which directly concerns human lives and national security. In Ukraine, a short-cycle adoption model is common, starting from actual operation and advancing additional deployments based on field evaluations. In conditions where GPS jamming, electronic warfare, and communication blockades constantly occur—situations difficult to replicate in normal testing environments—the ability to continuously operate on the actual battlefield and rapidly improve based on field feedback is highly prioritized. Initiative Details Through WinnyLab, Terra Drone has commenced the operation of the "Terra A2" fixed-wing interceptor drone in an actual combat environment. "Terra A2" is a fixed-wing interceptor drone designed for wide-area surveillance, long-distance flight, and long-endurance. Through advanced aerodynamic design, it achieves high-speed flights up to 312 km/h, a wide coverage capability of 75 km, and a flight duration exceeding 40 minutes. Furthermore, designed to integrate with radar systems, it serves as a fixed-wing interceptor platform capable of conducting wide-area surveillance, target detection, tracking, and interception seamlessly. This provides a "proactive" wide-area air defense layer against conventional defense systems centered on short-range interception. Additionally, the company is advancing the construction of a multi-layered defense system by combining the "Terra A1" rocket-type interceptor drone, which has already successfully intercepted targets, with the "Terra A2" fixed-wing interceptor drone. In this actual operation, Terra Drone will promote continuous performance improvements and operational optimization based on feedback from the field. The operational data and improvement insights accumulated in such combat environments are considered crucial competitive advantages, not only for future product enhancements but also for discussions with defense agencies of various countries and global market expansion. Future Outlook Terra Drone will continue to advance the deployment of combat-proven products while considering expansion into other regions facing similar challenges, promoting product deployment as sustainable air defense infrastructure. Additionally, the company will promote the construction of multi-layered defense solutions through collaboration with governments and defense agencies in various countries, including Japan, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region. Through technologies that contribute to the protection of human life and the maintenance of critical infrastructure and social functions, Terra Drone aims to contribute to building a sustainable security foundation while advancing business opportunities in the rapidly expanding global defense market. User Comments "'Terra A2' is a drone operated to protect Ukraine's critical infrastructure from attack UAVs. Coordination of various elements is essential for addressing enemy drones, and the interceptor aircraft itself plays a core role in that mission. Our unit compared and verified multiple systems before adopting the 'Terra A2'. Among them, the 'Terra A2' was confirmed to be simple and intuitive to operate, allowing for easy operator familiarization. Moreover, it not only meets the published performance specifications but has demonstrated results exceeding them in actual operations."