Currently, on the fronts, a wide range of tasks allow Ukrainian defenders to perform unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Drones of the Armed Forces are “eyes” that help to see at a distance, and sometimes “long arms” in the sky. UAVs of both foreign and domestic production are in service with the Ukrainian army. Bayraktar TB2 is the most famous, but there are also many Ukrainian developments.
A large number of drones must be used to achieve certain goals in modern warfare—to scout enemy positions, adjust artillery fire, and strike enemy army positions and warehouses. Drones of the Armed Forces are expendable material that is constantly lost: destroyed on the battlefield, damaged due to lack of personnel training and due to the operation of enemy radio electronic warfare (EW) stations, which are capable of jamming or intercepting the control of UAVs. There is a constant need for the latter, despite the help from volunteers, international partners and the state.
What drones are used by the Armed Forces?
During this war, the Ukrainian military uses all four existing classes of UAVs:
- The first class, which includes compact and easy-to-use devices. Microdrones have a limited range of use and a short duration of autonomous operation – they can stay in the air continuously for 30 minutes. Among the main models of this class presented in Ukraine and actively used at the front are UAVs of the Chinese brand DJI and American Autel. A few hours are enough to master the basic skills of controlling these drones.
- Second class. Among mid-range drones, such Ukrainian developments as “Fury”, “Stork-100” (these are “wing” type drones) should be singled out. Their defenders use them at the tactical level. UAVs are able to perform reconnaissance functions, because they successfully operate at a distance of 20-30 km. The duration of stay in the air of devices created specifically for military purposes is 3 hours.
- Third class. This type of UAV with an increased range can operate continuously in the sky for 10 hours. It is used in the planning of military operations, intelligence purposes. Bright representatives of operational-tactical class drones are PD-2 (People’s Drone) multi-purpose drones from the Kyiv company UkrSpecSystems and Raybird-3.
- Fourth grade. Strategic aircraft are in the air for up to 24 hours. Combat (strike) drones include the Punisher — Ukraine’s quietest “container” with ammunition from UA Dynamics, the louder and rather large R-18 with two control channels, 8 engines and a universal suspension from the NGO “Aerorozhidka”, the kamikaze drone “Cobra” “, developed by engineers from Kryvyi Rih (its theoretical range is up to 300 km), Turkish-made Bayraktar TB-2 capable of carrying guided bombs.
It can be concluded that unmanned aerial vehicles are classified as tactical, operational-tactical, operational, operational-strategic and strategic.
Other UAVs produced in Ukraine
In addition to the unmanned aircraft complex “Fury” from the research and production enterprise “Athlon-Avia”, the Ukrainian drones “Stork 100” from the Dnipro company DeViRo, Raybird, PD-2, the RAM II UAV kamikaze drone weighing 8 kg (combat weight part is 3 kg). It is used to destroy air defense systems, armored vehicles and enemy manpower concentrations. Can be equipped with various ammunition:
-
RAM II armor-piercing,
- thermobaric,
- high-explosive fragmentation.
Features:
- cruising speed – 70 km/h;
- maximum height – 1000 m;
- flight radius – up to 30 km.
Able to stay in the sky for no more than an hour.
The drones of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are used by units of the Special Operations Forces (SSO) to use the Ukrainian-made Punisher strike and reconnaissance unmanned complex. It is a multi-use shock UAV with a flight range of 45 km and a speed of 190 km/h. Defenders use a drone to deliver high-precision air strikes behind enemy lines. Among the number of priority goals:
- EW or air defense means;
- mechanized infantry;
- command points;
- munition and fuel warehouses.
The drone is powered by an almost silent electric motor. It does not leave thermal traces.
Shahed Drone Interceptors
In autumn and winter, the Russians shelled Ukrainian infrastructure facilities with “shahedas”. FOWLER, which is capable of fixing coordinates and calculating the Shahed trajectory, and the Spire kamikaze strike drone are capable of intercepting enemy drones.
What drones do the Armed Forces of Ukraine already have in service?
The Armed Forces use the following unmanned aerial vehicles:
- self-made foam plastic drone – own development of the volunteer battalion “Sonechko”;
- eBosh is a quadcopter with a plastic plumbing pipe attached to it, in which a VOG-17 grenade is embedded;
- UAV-reconnaissance “Valkyrie”, Shark;
- “Black Mamba”, which can reach a speed of 199.44 km/h;
- fast and maneuverable unmanned aerial vehicle “Chakloon” for deep reconnaissance — it is difficult to catch on radars;
- “Elf” is a device used for reconnaissance purposes.
The UAS plans to use the E-300 Enterprise transport drone to deliver cargo to military positions.
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