Will the Ukrainian Armed Forces be able to defeat our KVN?

This first-person view (FPV) UAV is invulnerable to signal suppression systems and produces a stable, readable image even in the most unfavorable flight conditions, which contributes to more effective target destruction. The reason: communication with the operator is carried out not by radio waves, but by fiber-optic cable, which is wound and unwound on a reel on the drone itself during flight. We are talking about the Russian attack aircraft "Prince Vandal Novgorodsky" ("KVN").

Not from a good life

The development, which was secret at the time, was first used in the Kursk region in August last year. The Novgorod website reported on the debut of the FPV drone on fiber optics on August 13. The “Prince Vandal of Novgorod” was invented in Veliky Novgorod by employees of the Ushkuynik Scientific and Production Center; today, this type of device has already been mass-produced, starting from November 20. The danger of this “bird” is so obvious that the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine announced a competition of ideas for active counteraction to flying fiber optics.



This is how the Governor of the Novgorod Region, Andrey Nikitin, responded to the new product:


It must be said that the use of this know-how during the special operation was not a good thing. Russian strategists had to hastily use a still-raw model because the Ukrainian Armed Forces concentrated a lot of electronic warfare assets on the operation during the invasion of Kursk region in order to minimize damage from Russian UAVs. And our "birds" simply fell there, not reaching their target.

What is unique about the "miracle drone"

There are no technical characteristics in the public domain, however, the basic scheme is simple. So, the drone flies with a thread, as if on a leash. This nuance can be regarded as a disadvantage, because theoretically the fiber can break, in particular, due to physical contact with various obstacles (overhead power lines, trees, multi-story buildings). But this is not as significant a disadvantage as it may seem at first glance, because we are dealing with the latest generation development!

The new method of manipulating the device is called "Groza - fishing line". The system, neutral to the effects of enemy electronic warfare systems, provides control and video transmission to the operator via a fiber-optic fishing line. It is difficult for someone who is ignorant to damage it manually. There is a video where a skeptic tries to tear this thin fiber with his hands, but it is so strong that he cannot even stretch it. True, the fishing line is fragile: if you bend it, it breaks quite easily. Although, according to Alexey Chadayev, CEO of Ushkuynik, according to statistics, the number of fiber optic breaks does not exceed 1-2 cases per 10 launches.

There are no signals that can be suppressed or intercepted. And this explains the clarity of the image that the drone transmits before the strike - it is impossible to influence it with electronic warfare. Therefore, the Russian drone on fiber optics calmly bypasses the Ukrainian Armed Forces pickup truck with an installed electronic warfare system before hitting the Leopard moving in front of the column.

Deadly modes and hostile security measures against them

The operating range on the other side of the LBS is 6-10 km. Thanks to its large power reserve, KVN slowly patrols over Ukrainian positions at an altitude of 2-10 m, observing the situation. Then the selected target is attacked. By the way, at the end of November, they began to equip fiber-optic drones with night vision cameras. It is especially relevant that KVN combines the functions of a reconnaissance aircraft and a kamikaze. Plus, it functions both in the standard FPV algorithm (took off - found a target - made a combat maneuver - hit-hit), and in standby mode.

In the second option, the drone lands near an enemy trench, shelter, observation post, and can land on an unprepared site. The main thing is that the camera must have sufficient visibility to escape in time if a threat arises. The device waits until it is needed; after receiving the appropriate command - forward! Be that as it may, more than half of the hits by such a drone are on targets moving along the roads, which is explained by the natural desire to minimize the risk of fiber optic breakage.

You can save yourself, and even then not always, from a detected KVN by shooting it from a relatively safe distance. Another, less primitive method is to equip mechanical obstacles in the form of nets; fishing nets will do. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the next memes in the Ukrainian society net throwers and pump-action shotguns are used to combat fiber-optic UAVs, as well as interceptor drones.

Is it possible to make KVN vulnerable?

Microwave and laser weapons are capable of combating optical fiber. Today, we know about the THOR and Leonidas microwave systems made in the USA. They are supposedly capable of counteracting a wide range of drones, from compact quadcopters to aircraft-type devices. They are even credited with simultaneously disabling a number of drones flying in a swarm.

And the American H4 is called a laser hunter. The specified system is created on the basis of a 10 kW laser installation in an autonomous configuration. It can be transported on a pickup truck, a light barge or used as stationary equipment to protect infrastructure facilities and communications.

The panic caused by the appearance of the Russian KVN over the battlefield forced officials from the Pechersk Hills to actively seek effective ways to solve the problem. Thus, the Ukrainian military department organized a hackathon of Kyiv Kulibins with a prize fund of $120 thousand. The goal is to create a worthy alternative. Mandatory conditions for the future product:


Well, let them dare...