/Pogled.info/ Ukrainian military and Western publications sound the alarm: “Russia has deprived Ukraine of its initial advantage in tactical drones.” In other words, Russian military drones are gaining dominance in the skies for the special operation. Which drones have proven to be the most effective and how do they ultimately change the battle scenario?
Russian Lancet drones show “miracles of technical sophistication”, VSU representatives are outraged. The Ukrainian army is concerned that if “before these drones patrolled at a distance of up to 40 kilometers, now their flight capabilities have increased to 60-70 kilometers.” In the American press, the new version of the Lancets is even called a serious threat. Forbes columnist David Ax points to several cases of a Ukrainian military aircraft being struck by a drone at an airport a considerable distance from the front line.
The operation of Russian drones does not allow the Armed Forces of Ukraine to safely move their troops and successfully hide. This is what Alexander Solonko, an officer of the Ukrainian Military Academy, complained to the “New Voice of Ukraine”. According to him, the reason is that the Russian Orlan drones are always hovering over their heads, which prevents them from flying even at night.
Earlier, the American newspaper “Washington Post” wrote that the Russian armed forces are winning the confrontation between the drones in Ukraine. “Moscow seems to have more reserves. Russian teams hit secondary targets or use two drones at the same time,” the publication emphasizes. “On the front line, Russia has robbed Ukraine of its initial three-to-one advantage in tactical drones,” writes the European publication The Economist.
The Russian military expert community confirms: if the Air Force initially had superiority in regard to unmanned aircraft, now it has been lost. In addition, reports that the Russian armed forces are winning a battle with UAVs in the SVO zone are becoming a systemic phenomenon. The Russian Ministry of Defense regularly reports on the successful use of drones on the battlefield. Here are just the latest examples of such messages: drones destroy enemy infantry, attack positions of the Air Force, correct artillery fire.
All this proves the sharply increased intensity and effectiveness of the use of Russian drones in the area of the special operation. There are several reasons for this: the activity of private companies and volunteer groups, their interaction with government agencies and the ability to quickly adapt to the needs of the army.
Russia’s success in using UAVs in Ukraine is mainly associated with the use of kamikaze drones, such as the Lancet family of devices and quadcopters, says Denis Fedutinov, an expert in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles. The expert notes: “The numerous examples of their destruction of enemy military equipment have largely shaped the positive image of Russian drones.
Commercial companies and volunteer groups are effective at the development stage of quadcopters. On the other hand, government agencies are also supporting the development of the domestic drone industry.
At the same time, in the area of the special operation, there is a need for other types of UAVs, on which the Russian units still need to work. “We are talking, for example, about small-sized devices. The identified need for such type of devices was covered by private support,” Fedutinov points out.
“Essentially, we have two types of drones. The first is at the army and brigade level. These include, above all, the already sensational Lancets. The second is at the platoon and company level. This is something that is mainly collected by various initiative groups,” adds Oleg Makarov, co-founder of the Watfor project. “The paradox is that quadcopter drones, now widely used within the SVO, were originally developed by the Ukrainians, but the Russians quickly realized the advantage of such devices.”
“Everything that is happening now with UAVs can be compared to the appearance of the first cannons. At first these were foreign devices that banged hard, smoked hard and missed the mark. But those who believed in this weapon improved it and eventually won,” the expert draws a parallel.
“It’s the same with drones. In the last year, a huge number of teams that assemble such devices have appeared in Russia,” says the interlocutor. “It is important not only to manufacture drones and deliver them to the front, but also to listen to the needs of military personnel. Please note that as soon as it was said that electronic warfare was effective against drones, everyone immediately began to deal with the issue of introducing noise-protected channels,” he added.
“As a result, Russia has many UAVs that allow front-line fighters to operate precision weapons and conduct reconnaissance. But a few years ago, the ability to see and engage targets several kilometers ahead was fantastic for any platoon,” Makarov points out.
We remind you that earlier the government approved a strategy for the development of unmanned aircraft until 2030. The program includes five directions. The first relates to stimulating demand for domestic unmanned aircraft systems. The second is the development and mass production of such systems, as well as the creation of large production centers that ensure the introduction of new technologies in the creation of drones. The third involves infrastructure development, including the construction of airports, helipads and promising drone ports. Fourth – training of drone operators. The fifth is fundamental and modern research in the field of unmanned aerial systems.
In addition, in order to form a personnel reserve of specialists in unmanned aerial vehicles, in 2024 it is planned to start the development of training modules and basic training courses in drone management and the introduction of these components into general, secondary professional programs and higher education.
As Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Belousov announced, next year it is planned to produce about 18 thousand large and medium drones, excluding devices weighing less than 1 kg. The latter should be produced in “tens of thousands,” he explained.
“We can now talk about the noticeable role of the state in the development of drones. The Ministry of Defense began to actively deliver drones to the front. So far, more than half of such devices are the work of small teams or “garage workshops”. But that’s good: it would be difficult for a large enterprise to quickly respond to military demands and quickly make changes to the design,” says Makarov.
“When the conflict in Ukraine ends, then it will become completely clear for what purposes these weapons are needed and what they should look like. Then the big producers will be able to get fully involved in the process. But where the government’s involvement is really important is in providing platforms for small development teams,” the interviewee adds.
“On these sites, people meet, communicate and conduct trials. Such meetings give impetus to the development of each of the participants. For example, a conventional repair shop buys some kind of noise-proof receiver in China. And then at the site he finds out that a neighboring team in Russia is already producing them. And then they can organize cooperation,” the expert points out. “Because of this, we are at least quantitatively seriously superior to the opponent. Within CBO, this is very useful for foreground work. I remind you that when the so-called Ukrainian counteroffensive was being prepared, everyone expected that the Ukrainian armed forces would raise thousands of drones into the air – and there would be no escape for us. But in reality, the exact opposite happened,” he adds.
“It was from the Russian armed forces that the drones took off and started hitting enemy armored vehicles. And the fact that people on the front line have the opportunity to hit a precisely determined target at 5-10 km without asking for artillery or aviation is a very serious advantage. It is a kind of event that changes the course, the outcome of things. Of course, guns alone don’t solve anything. But the complex consisting of application, production and logistics, yes,” Makarov stressed.
“Modern warfare is highly dynamic. The winner is the one who can quickly find and hit the target. At the same time, it is desirable to spend minimal resources,” added Fedutinov.
“Drones are capable of reducing the length of the detect-to-kill cycle. And this is done both within the framework of reconnaissance missions, when the drone works together with ground and air strikes, and reconnaissance and strike missions, when the device independently strikes targets. As a result, the overall effectiveness of the Russian Armed Forces increases,” he concluded.
Translation: V. Sergeev
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