Videos distributed by Defense Express and the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation recorded the combat use of the "Khyzhak" module from aboard a Ukrainian helicopter. The footage shows the system engaging Russian drones. The fundamental difference from previous configurations is that the turret is not located inside the cockpit, as was previously practiced on certain H125 type aircraft, but on an external suspended platform.
This solution offers two advantages at once: the helicopter's internal space remains free, and the turret itself gains the necessary viewing and firing angle. For accurate firing from a moving aerial platform, stabilization is critically important - "Khyzhak" compensates for oscillations and spatial dynamics of the carrier, making it suitable specifically for aviation use.
What is "Khyzhak"?
The system developer is the Ukrainian company UGV Robotics. "Khyzhak" was designed as a universal remotely controlled module capable of integrating with various types of carriers - from ground robotic platforms to marine drones and aircraft.
The module includes:
automatic target detection and tracking systems;
a laser rangefinder;
a ballistic computer;
a stabilized turret.
According to the manufacturer, the system uses artificial intelligence to work with aerial targets. However, AI does not act autonomously here: it takes on the detection of the object, keeping it in the field of observation, and calculating parameters for opening fire, while the operator retains full control over the decision to shoot. This significantly reduces the number of manual operations in combat but does not exclude humans from the control loop.
The module is designed for 7.62 mm machine guns. Among the confirmed compatible weapon options named by Defense Express are PKT, M240, and FN MAG.
Where did these modules come from?
The specific "Khyzhaks" used in aviation were delivered to the military through a joint project "Illuminate the Enemy 2.0" - an initiative of the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation and the Uklon service. The Foundation confirmed the transfer and published a video with the results of the system's operation.
We are making flights more difficult for Russian Shaheds. The video shows the "Khyzhak" remotely controlled combat module, which the Foundation transferred for aviation. And now this module successfully works on enemy targets, - states the message of the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation on Twitter/X.
Context: Helicopters as an air defense layer
The current use of "Khyzhak" fits into a broader trend - the involvement of helicopter aviation in anti-drone defense. The system has already been tested on ground robotic complexes, marine drones, H125 helicopters of the State Border Guard Service, and also aboard a NATO ship.
In parallel, Ukrainian Mi-8s and Mi-24s are being adapted to intercept "Shaheds": modern surveillance, communication, and targeting equipment is being installed on them. Results are already visible: in March 2026, an Mi-8 crew destroyed 12 Russian attack drones in three hours.
The logic of this approach is economic. A helicopter with appropriate weaponry can intercept some aerial targets without spending expensive anti-aircraft missiles. This is an additional layer of air defense that complements, rather than replaces, existing air defense assets.
The real effectiveness of the new "Khyzhak" configuration on the helicopter will be determined by the results of further combat use.
