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The war in Ukraine is increasingly degenerating into a drone war. Russia therefore wants to produce more smaller drones, which are very important on the battlefield.
Moscow – Drones have become irreplaceable for both sides in the war in Ukraine. They are used not only to bomb enemy targets, but also for reconnaissance. Ukraine in particular is relying on the unmanned aerial vehicles. With its culture of technology start-ups, the country has adapted quickly. More than 200 Ukrainian companies now supply military drones, supported by an ecosystem of non-profit organizations and volunteer groups. Russia, with its rigid central control and tendency toward monopolies, has not developed as quickly. But it has far greater resources, and the longer the war goes on, the more important these will become.
Drone war between Russia and Ukraine – civilians essential
Russia is also continuing to expand its drone production, albeit at a slower pace than Ukraine. According to Samuel Bendett, an expert on Russian drones and consultant to the think tanks CNA and CNAS, both countries are relying on the support of civilians. Bendett recently shared a picture of members of the military presenting new drones from the manufacturer DJI. “Another significant deployment of Russian volunteers – the materials shown in the video were procured with the help of civil society and include drones and other important goods,” Bendett writes in the post on X.
Meanwhile, according to the expert, smaller drones have also established themselves as an important tool in Russia. According to the US magazine Forbes Citing the drone expert, the production of smaller drones could now be as high as one million per year.
However, most of the demand for smaller drones will continue to be met by volunteer organizations that source them from China or assemble them from Chinese parts. According to Bendett, it is therefore up to Russian officers or even soldiers whether they have contacts with volunteer groups to obtain smaller drones.
Russian commanders in Ukraine war hesitant about small drones
“Russian bloggers and volunteers note that some Russian commanders still do not understand the value of these drones, do not know how this technology and small drone units fit into the larger force structure, and sometimes resist broader use of this technology at the tactical level,” says Bendett. President Wladimir Putin For this reason, the Ministry of Defense under the newly appointed Defense Minister Andrei Belousov recently instructed him to work more closely with the volunteer groups.
The overall effort to build smaller drones is larger in Russia than in Ukraine. “But even if Russian volunteers can assemble more than 100,000 FPV drones per month, many of these drones will suffer from poor quality and lack of standardization in assembly, many will not fly far on the first launch, many will be lost to EW and other countermeasures,” Bendett told Forbes.
Russia also lacks drone pilots in the Ukraine war
In addition, there are only a small number of drone pilots. Other problems also prevent Russian drones from being successful. 50 percent of Russian drones are shot down by Russia’s own jammers before they reach Ukrainian lines, says the expert. This is due to the lack of coordination between the electronic warfare units and the drone operators.(erpe)
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