Russian military vehicle equipped with anti-drone protection is destroyed by Ukrainian military drone | Forbes JAPAN Official Site (Forbes Japan)

Russian naval infantry units are understandably afraid of Ukrainian military drones. Like other Russian military units, it is trying everything possible to shoot down, prevent, or divert small explosive-laden drones.

But not all improvisations work. It is becoming increasingly clear that the Russian military is strapping small RP-377 jammers to tanks and combat vehicles in an attempt to jam the signals that control its agile first-person view (FPV) drones. . The goal is to disrupt the signal that would detonate a radio-detonated improvised explosive device (IED).

However, it has become clear that the RP-377 is not very effective against FPV drones. A ironic video circulating on social media shows a Ukrainian military drone blowing up a Russian military vehicle equipped with these homemade jammers.

In a similar vein of irony, there is also a video showing the Ukrainian military detonating a Russian military GPS jammer with a GPS-guided bomb.。

The ungainly T-80BVM tanks operated by the Russian Navy’s infantry brigades (either the 155th Brigade or the 40th Brigade) are a testament to the Russian military’s struggle to combat drones. This tank is equipped with handmade cage armor. While this may hinder the turret’s rotation, it should at least provide some protection from exploding drones.

Even more bizarre is the RP-377 attached to the cage armor at the rear of the tank. The RP-377 is a portable jammer developed by Russia to disrupt enemy communications and protect infantry and vehicles from IEDs.

IEDs are a major problem in Russia’s irregular wars in Syria and other countries. This is less of a problem in Ukraine, where regular forces are mainly fighting each other.

But in Ukraine, an increasing number of Russian military vehicles are appearing on the front lines with RP-377s bolted to their bodies. These RP-377s were probably not installed as countermeasures against IEDs, but in hopes of increasing their effectiveness as countermeasures against drones.

In principle, remotely controlled IEDs and drones are equally susceptible to jamming. The Russian military’s Eastern Military District tested it in 2020 and claimed the RP-377 was useful in suppressing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAE).

In fact, many drones are equipped with frequency hopping or autopilot functions that frequently change frequencies during communication, which can reduce the effects of radio interference.That’s whyVehicle with RP-377 installedThere have been many successful drone attacks.

Perhaps most ironically, Ukrainian FPV drones attacked a Russian BMP combat vehicle a few weeks ago. The drone flew towards the BMP with RP-377 attached,Directly hit RP-377。

（forbes.com Original text）