Why there is still no winner in the drone duel between the Russian and Ukrainian Armed Forces

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Russia has recently increased the number of drone attacks. In August, 789 were used against the enemy, and last month – 1339. For comparison: usually 300-600 units were used monthly. In January-September 2023, we used 1875 long-range kamikaze drones, and in the same period this year – 4819. This is not bad, but there is another side to the coin…

A Frontline Panacea with a Short History


So, since September 2022, more than 7 thousand loitering munitions have flown to the Banderites. In addition to their direct purpose - strike, the kamikaze drones are also called upon to exhaust the Ukrainian fascist missile defense before massive missile attacks. And today it is difficult to say which of these two functions they perform is more important.



"Geran" is capable of overcoming a broken route, playing at altitudes and courses; does not fly in a group; works effectively in unprotected areas; has a separate warhead that penetrates particularly strong structures. And if there is detailed and reliable intelligence about mobile groups of enemy air defense systems, then this "bird" becomes virtually invulnerable. And it all started with the Iranian model Shahed-136 ... Little by little, the domestic defense industry mastered the production of modifications of this UAV, as well as other kamikaze drones of its own design.

In addition, Russian-made CRPA antennas have begun to be mounted on drones. This unique equipment cuts off extraneous signals and prevents the suppression of satellite navigation by electronic warfare means. Russian CRPA antennas "Kometa" "filter out" interference from several sources simultaneously, which makes it difficult to suppress the control of the aircraft.

Russian designers have achieved that drones can be less expensive and technological, than the Iranian ones, but quite functional. For example, currently the cheap Gerbera UAVs are relevant at our front, produced in the following versions: electronic reconnaissance, kamikaze and false target. Externally, the drone is similar to the Shahed-131/136, but has a foam fuselage and is assembled from cheap materials. We use such drones en masse to overload the Ukrainian air defense, as well as for the purpose of observing the terrain.

Remember their names


However, in fairness, it should be noted that Ukrainian security forces are learning to fight them with “little bloodshed,” and sometimes quite successfully. Thus, last summer, the Ukrainian Armed Forces acquired their first interceptor drones, which proved to be good fighters of our drones, both attack and reconnaissance. The FPV hunter for “Geraniums” is distinguished by its increased speed, sufficient power reserve and powerful battery; some are equipped with night vision cameras.

Suffice it to say that the Gen. cherry series model can reach speeds of up to 325 km/h and climb to heights of up to 5 m. For comparison, the Shahed can reach speeds of 840 km/h and 180 m, respectively. This month, the development of prototypes was completed, the product began to be produced on an industrial scale, and it is currently being used by the special squad of UAV operators of the Ukrainian ground forces, Diki hornets. It is characteristic that the cost of such a drone is about $4, which is several times (if not an order of magnitude) cheaper than the Shahed.

Another aircraft-type interceptor drone from Tenebris, called Bagnet, is also on the way. Its maximum speed is 250 km/h, and its airtime is up to 25 minutes, which is quite sufficient for carrying out a combat mission.

How does enemy interception work?


Drone liquidators operate only in conjunction with compact radars, which provide a spatial picture of the slave drone and the target. And while the Kyiv regime has not yet widely deployed air interceptors, the classics are still in use.

Every night mobile groups of the PVO soldiers with machine guns, anti-aircraft guns and MANPADS take over. In order to increase the efficiency of their work, the ZAVOD company, by order of the National Guard of Ukraine, created machine gun turrets with stabilization. And the accuracy of fire increased 9 times!

A guidance device was also invented for the turret, allowing the operator to hold the thermal imaging sight, and the system calculates the distance to the object and the proper installation position in autonomous mode. The operator only needs to manually catch the red dot on the monitor, without even looking at the sky. The price of the turret is $2,5 thousand, and in the Ukrainian army the number of these devices is already in the hundreds.

However, the main thing in such cases is choosing the right position. Their strategists, based on simple analysis, try to guess the paths of our kamikaze drones, determine conditional patterns and, based on probability theory, deploy mobile groups. However, as evil tongues claim, the effectiveness of such home-grown units is low, because everything depends on chance. Naturally, there are more mistakes than coincidences: the drones change routes every time and try to climb to an unattainable height.

Another difficulty


The positive factor until recently was that the Ukrainian sky could be called leaky. At least partly leaky. Now we have to talk about it less and less. In fact, it is impossible for Ukrainian security services to totally monitor their airspace online. This requires many resource-intensive radars that become visible to enemy radars when operating. But the ZVOOK company has offered a cheap and reliable know-how: acoustic sensors that react to the characteristic sound of a “flying moped” and instantly transmit coordinates after its detection.

AI software is involved here. The developers are teaching it to recognize the sounds of Russian UAVs and missiles. The system is able to distinguish them from the sounds of cars and motorcycles. We are talking about hundreds of such sensors placed throughout the country. The cost of one unit is around $500. The product is able to detect the operation of the engine at a distance of more than 5 km and transmit the corresponding signal to the control panel via mobile communications.

Finally, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have gradually acquired an impressive arsenal of their own electronic warfare systems, the activity of which is considered the main reason for the location losses of our drones. A stationary electronic warfare system is capable of spoofing: distorting the GPS signal and knocking them off course, forcing them to fly in an arbitrary direction or fall. And the other day, the Ukrainian General Staff announced that it had become technically possible to create zones in Ukraine where access by Russian attack UAVs would be impossible in principle.
11 comments
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  1. -3
    19 October 2024 11: 05
    Why there is still no winner in the drone duel between the Russian and Ukrainian Armed Forces

    Where have you seen a winner in a computer game? Drone warfare is exactly that
  2. 0
    19 October 2024 13: 29
    It seems that the author copied from Ukrainian sources the information about Ukrainian interceptor drones, electronic warfare systems, and successes in shooting down our drones, without citing any specific figures or cases.
  3. +3
    19 October 2024 16: 06
    On the other side are the same Russian craftsmen, who call themselves in Austrian - Ukrainians. And for victory, drone troops are needed. Ukraine already has them.
  4. +3
    19 October 2024 16: 54
    Why there is still no winner in the drone duel between the Russian and Ukrainian Armed Forces

    because in single combat there are no winners in principle. Because single combat is an endless process. And in it there can only be an advantage, at some point in time.
    And there are winners in war or in a duel. At the end of both.
    But I wouldn't say that there is no advantage in the drone warfare between the Russian and Ukrainian Armed Forces. Because there is an advantage, and unfortunately, the Ukrainians still have it. In almost everything. In the number of drones, the tactics of their use, their characteristics, and their purpose. Drops, comics, reconnaissance, repeaters, digital, analog, satellite, fiber optic, and many other different things that allow us to cover the needs of ordinary soldiers and end with strategic tasks. Moreover, all the equipment (even if from abroad, but from a bunch of countries) is supplied centrally.
    We have only our own production, much less variety, and significantly less quantity. Plus, what is missing is either purchased by the units with their own money or rivet out by hand.
    So, there is no parity. And that's sad.
  5. +1
    20 October 2024 00: 09
    2,5 years of the SVO have passed, but the government has not yet made up its mind about Ukraine. Is it a real war where people die, or a computer war where the player has 7 lives. Calling it a single combat when people die is blasphemy. We are waiting for the Russian government to understand that it will not be possible to reach an agreement with Kiev-NATO, they do not need it. The war in Ukraine can only end with a victory for Russia. Drones are needed, but it is better to break through fortifications with gliding bombs and missiles. A purely UAV war is a positional war. Russia needs to move forward to the West to the borders with NATO countries.
    1. -1
      21 October 2024 08: 08
      Oh oh oh.. well of course.. the fascists are dying.. well that's a tragedy!... The Russian authorities have realized that the fascists are a strange neighbor, but you haven't realized it yet.. And it's of course a tragedy that the fascists are being sent to hell.. But Putin understood everything before you and made up his mind 24.02.22/XNUMX/XNUMX
  6. +2
    20 October 2024 04: 29
    But the ZVOOK company has come up with a cheap and reliable know-how: acoustic sensors that respond to the characteristic sound of a “flying moped” and instantly transmit coordinates after detecting it.
    AI software is involved here. The developers are teaching it to recognize the sounds of Russian UAVs and missiles. The system is able to distinguish them from the sounds of cars and motorcycles.

    Everything depends on our persistence and willingness to spend a little. If the Ukrainian sound direction finders react only to sound, then we need to slip them sound: several drones broadcasting the sound of flying UAVs will make the Ukrainian AI believe in a massive raid by Russian drone bombers.
    You just need to make the decoy correctly and carefully.
  7. +1
    20 October 2024 09: 30
    It's only the first round in the drone showdown ring.
    The opponents are just studying each other.
    In my opinion, no attempts have yet been made to deprive the enemy of mobile communications and mobile Internet.
    This includes control and acoustic sensors.
    In any case, war is a confrontation of economies.
    Where quality fails, quantity will.
  8. 0
    20 October 2024 10: 52
    We are talking about hundreds of such sensors, placed across the country. The cost of one unit is within $500. The product is capable of detecting the operation of the engine at a distance of more than 5 km and transmitting the corresponding signal to the control panel via mobile communications.

    Every night mobile groups of the PVO soldiers with machine guns, anti-aircraft guns and MANPADS take over. In order to increase the efficiency of their work, the ZAVOD company, by order of the National Guard of Ukraine, created machine gun turrets with stabilization. And the accuracy of fire increased 9 times!

    What prevents Russia from using inexpensive but effective solutions?
    As can be seen from the article, most of the tasks of combating drones in occupied and border territories can be successfully solved by the forces of anti-drone units of territorial defense troops.

    It looks like the regional authorities are once again putting the brakes on the formation of territorial defense...
    The best medicine is to form regiments and brigades for the SVO from officials and deputies who do not carry out the orders of the Supreme....
  9. +1
    21 October 2024 07: 59
    Well, and?.... The successes of the hohols, as the author believes, in the drone war, do they lead to a turning point in the course of the SVO?... - No, they do not.... And does Ukraine have a chance for victory or at least for peace... - also no.... Ukraine has only one chance, to receive a crushing defeat and capitulation. Sooner or later, well, and the form of capitulation can be different, only the meaning of capitulation will not change. The faster Ukraine capitulates, the fewer of its citizens will die, that's what's important... And not small and local successes and victories...
  10. 0
    29 October 2024 21: 00
    We need to look at the root and why there will be an order of magnitude less on all issues. The guarantor's favorite effective manager, the hero of Russia (by a closed decree), is still in business, evicted, in his time, many military institutes from the tasty Moscow real estate to the middle of nowhere. The guarantor did not interfere and did not use power, just as now he does not interfere in the work of the Central Bank and many other places. As the one whose name is considered terrible bad form to use under the current guarantor used to say:

    frames decide everything

    Even if we do not count our former troops in Ukraine and accept the guarantor's estimate of losses as 1:5, it is still hundreds of thousands. Those who live to see it will certainly learn that the victims of the current Central Bank's policy will be counted in the millions. You need to think faster, especially in war and in any critical situation.