The Ukraine war has witnessed an unprecedented use of drones, distinguishing it from previous conflicts. These drones vary from tiny quadcopters armed with cameras and grenades, which hover over front-line trenches, to flying bombs transporting warheads weighing dozens of kilogrammes (pounds) into Kyiv and Moscow.

 

In the last few months, Kyiv and other significant urban areas have experienced multiple incursions by Russian troops. These invasions have involved the utilization of Iranian-made Shahed "kamikaze" drones. Simultaneously, Ukraine has retaliated by launching unmanned attacks in Crimea and the Russian border region of Belgorod.

 

 

Accusing Ukraine, the Russian government claimed that Moscow had been targeted by such devices on Tuesday.

 

 

The present depiction stands in stark contrast to the exaggerated enthusiasm that once surrounded the Turkish-produced Bayraktar TB2 drones in the early stages of the war.

 

 

The aircraft gained widespread media coverage and were commended through songs for their instrumental role in destroying Moscow's armored columns and the Moskva, the flagship of the Black Sea fleet.

 

 

Nevertheless, the protracted conflict has diminished the significance of these models, commonly known as MALE (Medium Altitude, Long Endurance).

 

 

An undisclosed source from the European defense industry informed AFP that the front line has achieved stability and impenetrability, thanks to the deployment of Russian defense systems to safeguard against aerial assaults.

 

 

The conflict in the drone war has shifted towards a focus on numbers.

 

 

Air defenses are responsible for neutralizing the majority of suicide drones, as stated by a senior French military source. These defenses are strategically utilized to prompt the defenders into firing their missiles and depleting their reserves.

 

 

“You also create terror and uncertainty at all times. Over the long term, that has value,” the source added.

 

 

According to a recent report by analysts Jack Watling and Nick Reynolds from the British defense think-tank RUSI, Russia's ability to cheaply erode enemy air defense is of utmost importance. This is due to Russia's production capacity of long-range missiles being restricted to around 40 per month.

 

 

It has been reported that Moscow's air force employs a considerable fleet of aircraft to enhance the range of potential threats and pinpoint weaknesses in the Ukrainian air defense. The objective is to identify gaps in the defense system where traditional missiles could potentially breach.

 

 

The European industrial source revealed that Kyiv employs commercially available Chinese propeller-powered drones or old Soviet jet-powered reconnaissance drones for incursions well inside Russian territory.

 

 

– Front lines –

 

 

The majority of drones are smaller versions utilized for reconnaissance and offensive missions at the forefront.

 

 

Ukrainian military personnel have posted several videos on social networking sites showcasing adapted commercially sold drones releasing bombs on Russian soldiers' positions.

 

 

According to RUSI's Watling and Reynolds, there are usually 25 to 50 UAVs from both sides present on a 10-kilometre front line.

 

 

The Ukrainian Furia and Russian Eleron-3 drones are tailor-made for their intended uses, capable of reaching distances of up to 50 kilometers. On the other hand, modified commercial quadcopters, which are frequently acquired through crowdfunding, are only able to travel fewer than 10 kilometers.

 

 

In response to the swarms, both factions have resorted to deploying electronic defenses, thereby reducing the expenses associated with neutralizing low-cost devices that do not warrant the use of costly missiles.

 

 

RUSI reports that the Russian forces have adopted a strategy of deploying approximately one major electronic warfare system for every 10 kilometers of frontage. Additionally, there are more specialized electronic warfare capabilities that are employed at higher levels of the chain of command.

 

 

According to the senior French officer, the Russians have elevated their electronic warfare strategies, marking a substantial alteration in their methods.

 

 

According to RUSI, even individual Russian platoons have been supplied with anti-drone weapons, such as directional jammers and arrays used for taking control of UAVs drone jammer.

 

 

Anti-drone “rifles” that emit jamming signals are “the absolute basics of defence, what really works are non-portable jammers deployed close to the front line”, the European industry source said signal jammer.

 

 

Nevertheless, these "giant orbs supported by tripods with generators" are easily recognizable and are not expected to last long, as per their comments.

 

 

– High attrition –

 

 

According to the French officer, drone and anti-drone warfare represent a fresh approach to combined arms combat.

 

 

In the same manner that we possess infantry, cavalry, and artillery, we also possess drones, electronic warfare, and connectivity.

 

 

According to the officer, the considerable amount of resources dedicated to neutralizing them results in small drones having a limited lifespan of only four to six flights before being targeted and shot down.

 

 

According to Ukraine, they are facing a considerable challenge of losing approximately 10,000 drones per month across their diverse array of devices. The accuracy of this claim cannot be substantiated, and it is possible that this assertion is made with the intention of obtaining increased assistance from Western countries.

 

 

Should there be breakthroughs and counter-offensives resulting in the resurgence of rapidly shifting front lines, drones will stay important.

 

 

Drones could be utilized by Ukraine to dismantle Russian defensive barriers in its highly anticipated summer offensive, with the possibility of dropping explosives into a minefield to create a pathway, as proposed by Vikram Mittal, a professor at the US military academy West Point, in a piece for Forbes.

 

 

When rapid-moving troops are surrounded, drones may present a viable option for delivering crucial supplies such as ammunition to enable them to sustain their activities.