KYIV — A Ukrainian defense technology firm has dramatically scaled production of its electronic warfare system, citing an unrelenting barrage of Russian strike drones that now launch at a rate of one per minute. The surge in demand underscores the escalating technological arms race on the battlefield and the critical need for cost-effective defenses.
Executives from the company, December1, disclosed that monthly output of its Damba jamming system has climbed from 400 units in July to approximately 1,000, with plans to reach 2,000. The device, which blasts radio frequencies to sever drone operators' control links, is sold to the Ukrainian government at a discounted price of $10,000 per unit, positioning it as a relatively low-cost countermeasure in a war defined by cheap, lethal drones.
“We definitely see the increase in demand from military units and also the government,” the company's CEO said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The firm has dispatched over 6,000 Damba units to the front lines since August 2024. The system provides 360-degree coverage against drone threats, including Russian first-person-view (FPV) models, at a range of 50 kilometers.
The production ramp-up directly correlates with Russia’s intensified use of fixed-wing Molniya strike drones. December1’s director of international affairs, Illia Kabachynskyi, stated that Russia is launching one of these armed drones “every minute.” The sheer volume of the threat is pushing demand beyond frontline military units to entities guarding critical infrastructure deep within Ukrainian territory.
“That's why we also see this increasing demand,” Kabachynskyi said, noting that enterprises are seeking protection for facilities vulnerable to long-range strikes.
While the Damba system provides a vital shield against radio-controlled drones, the firm acknowledged it is racing to adapt to Russia's shifting tactics. An increasing number of Russian drones are now guided by fiber-optic cables, making them immune to traditional radio-frequency jamming. December1 detailed plans to modify its systems to cover higher-frequency bands to keep pace with the evolving threat, reinforcing the need for continuous innovation in frontline defense without direct American military entanglement.