1/8
Shahid drones fly relatively slowly and low towards their target. But often they don’t come on their own.
They fly slowly and hum toward their destination, then an explosion follows: Iranian kamikaze drones terrorize the Ukrainian population. With little progress on the front, Putin’s forces attack civilian infrastructure from the air. The goal: to plunge Ukraine into a cold, dark winter.
Many drones can be shot down by anti-aircraft systems. But flying killers often come in swarms. This is enough to attack Ukraine.
Problem: The Russians seem to have a lot of drones. “It’s so cheap to produce and buy that Ukraine’s defense is too saturated with too many attackers,” says Gustav Gressel, 43, a military expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR).Mirror».
In winter, destroyed infrastructure will be a big problem
According to Britain’s intelligence service, Ukraine can now fend off nearly 85 percent of drone attacks. This seems like a lot at first. But the remaining 15 percent does serious damage. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, 44, has already admitted that 40 percent of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has already been destroyed by the attacks. He called on residents to save energy.
According to Grisel, Ukraine must ensure that it protects the airspace of major cities with important infrastructure in all areas. At the moment, the Ukrainian armed forces mainly rely on patrol aircraft and surface-to-air missiles.
But the costs are unbalanced. The military expert said: “Each pulse fired at such a drone is equal to five to ten times the value of the aircraft itself.” Specifically: the missile costs about 250 thousand US dollars. In addition, soldiers have to operate these expensive defense systems and then miss the front.
Microwave radiation is tested
An easy way to get rid of the drones is to shoot them down with guns at a low altitude. Not an easy task as the drones are moving in the air. In the end, this is the cheapest option. However, if a swarm of kamikaze drones came, the soldiers would have to fire violently into the air. This can be dangerous: falling bullets can injure or even kill civilians.
One solution could be to use microwave radiation. If powerful microwave beams target the drones, the electronic devices fail instantly. An Iranian drone will get lost and fail to achieve the goal. But: Radiation systems are not yet ready for use. Tests have not yet taken place.
In the long term, Western Ukraine will be able to help and provide additional air defense systems. For example, the UAV defense system of vehicle-mounted ISR missile equipment from America, anti-drone guns from Germany and Crotale systems from France. According to Grisel, the systems are effective for defending against drones. The problem: Ukrainian soldiers first have to learn how to use weapons – and that takes time. (jwg)
“Tv specialist. Friendly web geek. Food scholar. Extreme coffee junkie.”
More Stories
New hub: Dubai is expanding Al Maktoum International Airport into a mega airport
A little boy from England wins
Train Travel in Europe – Train Delays and Cancellations: Who Pays the Extra Costs? – Espresso cash register