Gepard triumphs: Ukrainian crew defends skies with precision

The record-setting unit operated under the command of the "West" Air Force, credited with downing 26 Shahed drones and 3 cruise missiles, is run by three individuals who were not connected to the military prior to the full-scale Russian invasion. The commander, Victor from Kyiv, was a private entrepreneur. The gunner, Bogdan, worked as a pastry chef in a restaurant in the centre of Kharkiv, and the driver-mechanic, Vasyl, was a miner from the Donetsk region.

They received their system in the summer of 2022 after a brief training period abroad. According to Victor, "to fulfil our tasks, it is a top-class combat vehicle. It has two powerful 35 mm cannons and very effective radars that enable target detection and tracking. We work as a unity — three people and a vehicle. We take a position, we are ready, we detect targets, we destroy them. There is little time to make decisions because the air battle lasts only a few seconds. We must destroy the target before it leaves our range, but we can manage."

During their most productive battle, the crew destroyed 5 Shahed drones. The commander says it was also their hardest battle. "Our position was directly at the defended site. This means that the strike drones fly directly at us and we have to destroy them. It's either us or them. In the heat of the moment, you barely think about yourself and just want to destroy everything. We succeeded, although during the attack, one of the guns malfunctioned."

During another anti-aircraft battle, the crew destroyed three cruise missiles. "Their target was an energy facility. If we failed, many people would be left without power and heating in their homes. This is a strong motivation to act."

In addition to the Gepards from Germany, Ukraine also received Dutch Cheetah PRTL, based on the German Gepard. This is a self-propelled anti-aircraft system built on the chassis of a Leopard 1 tank. The system uses a pair of Oerlikon KDA L/R04 35/90 35 mm automatic cannons.

These cannons have a rapid-fire rate of 550 rounds per minute, each totalling 1,100 rounds per minute. This allows efficient targeting at a range of about 4 to 5 kilometres at a very low cost. A multi-round burst costs over €10,000 (£8,420), which is relatively low compared to anti-aircraft missiles costing significantly over €100,000 (£84,200) for even cheaper solutions.

Gun targeting is done with a fire control radar located at the front of the turret, which has a range of approximately 14 kilometres. This radar provides crucial targeting data to the ballistic computer, and a second rotating radar with the same range is used for full 360-degree object detection.

It is worth noting that the Dutch chose a radar from a different manufacturer, distinguishing their version from the German one. Additionally, Gepard or Cheetah PRTL is equipped with an optical sight that allows operation in emergency mode when combined with tracer ammunition.

The Cheetah PRTL systems in CA2 and CA3 versions have been modernised, which included enhancing the communication and fire control systems. The aim of these changes was to reduce the time from target detection to elimination and to add a sensor that measures the projectile's muzzle velocity.

These vehicles have also been adapted for use with FAPDS-T type ammunition, which is a spin-stabilised sub-calibre round with a fragmenting core and tracer. This ammunition is characterised by greater effectiveness and a range of 5 kilometres, compared to standard HEI-T or SAPHEI-T ammunition. This is a significant strengthening of Ukrainian short-range air defence.