Ukraine adapts GTA V to train drone interception skills

Ukraine has introduced a specialised modification for the popular video game Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V), enabling users to simulate the interception of Iranian-made Shahed drones as part of a broader effort to support drone operator training.

According to RBC-Ukraine, citing the Ukrainian training centre WeTrueGun, instructors have incorporated drone interception missions into a customised server environment. The initiative is intended to help operators maintain and refine their skills outside of complex military systems.

The modified platform is based on GTA V Legacy and operates through the FiveM multiplayer framework, allowing for a flexible and immersive simulation environment.

Within the simulator, users can search for aerial targets across an expansive virtual map, pursue hostile objects over extended distances, simulate direct strikes using FPV drones, and practice tactical manoeuvres in dense urban settings. These exercises are designed to sharpen reaction times and improve the ability to acquire and track targets during flight, skills directly relevant to operational conditions.

Developers stress that the system is not a substitute for professional training tools. As noted by WeTrueGun, "An important clarification: in real training of interceptor crews, specialised military simulators such as 'Horizon' are used."

The project also serves multiple auxiliary purposes, including providing psychological relief for experienced operators, sustaining active piloting skills, enabling risk-free experimentation, and offering a form of relaxation after intensive duty periods.

This initiative forms part of a wider training ecosystem developed by WeTrueGun, which is focused on preparing a new generation of UAV operators for service in Ukraine’s Security and Defence Forces. Training for prospective contract soldiers in the Armed Forces is offered free of charge, funded by charitable organisations and private donors.

Alongside this effort, Ukraine continues to expand its training and operational capabilities. A new domestically produced simulator has been introduced for operators of portable air defence systems such as the FIM-92 Stinger, specifically addressing tactics for countering Shahed drones. Border guard units are also deploying upgraded mobile air defence systems capable of engaging drones at night, with the distinctive feature of being remotely controlled using standard gaming joysticks.

In parallel, an experimental private air defence initiative has been launched, with participation from 27 companies representing various sectors.

By Tamilla Hasanova