We were at the Ukrainian army training. 100-year-old rifles are still in the game
IRPIEŃ, Ukraine —The soldiers arrived after dark. They stopped the van by a field and began to quietly set up a ground control station along the road. Headlamps cut through the night as they prepared to take off.
Before they released the interceptor drone, they sent a smaller machine to survey the area and check for radar interference. Inside the van, the Ukrainians watched his flight on a computer screen.
Suddenly the image turned to noise.
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Something has interfered with the reconnaissance drone's signal – most likely electronic interference. They were unable to launch the interceptor drone, and the mission ended before it even began.
In times like these, it's good to have a backup plan.
A 100-year-old rifle when drones fail
Ukrainian mobile air defense crews, such as the one operating on the outskirts of Kiev, for years they have been using M2 Browning .50 caliber machine guns mounted on the beds of pickup trucks to combat Russian kamikaze drones that regularly attack their cities.
Like other mobile defense units in Ukraine, however, they are learning to use advanced interceptor drones alongside the Browning, an extremely versatile American heavy weapon designed at the end of World War I and introduced into service in the early 1930s.
Business Insider journalists recently joined the unit to observe soldiers training to use interceptor drones. The loss of a reconnaissance drone due to probable electronic jamming shows how delicate such operations are at a time when electronic warfare is playing an increasingly important role not only on the battlefield, but also in civilian areas.
Interceptor drones are playing an increasingly important role in the Ukrainian air defense system, which is why their effective use is becoming essential for mobile fire groups. Last year, Russia modified its drones to fly faster and at higher altitudes — beyond the range of machine guns — undermining their previous effectiveness.
Interceptor drones, which can engage targets at altitudes of up to 5,000 m and at speeds of almost 320 km per hour, help fill this gap. The unit near Kiev trains on P1-Sun and Bullet models, produced by Ukrainian companies Skyfall and General Cherry, respectively.
Despite their advantages, interceptor drones are not without their disadvantages. They are sensitive to bad weather and electronic interference, as evidenced by an incident during training. Russia has also improved some of its drone tactics, making them more maneuverable and harder to intercept.
“There are various situations in which Browning machine guns remain very effective,” explained Oleksiy, commander of a mobile air defense unit. For security reasons, he could only be introduced by name.
Mobile unit crews learn to operate interceptor drones such as Bullet
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Jake Epstein (Business Insider)
The old machine guns are useful against Russian drones flying low enough to avoid radar detection, up to about 100 m in altitude. Footage from an earlier clash the same day showed one of the gunners in Oleksiy's unit firing at Shahid drones during a massive Russian attack on Ukraine.
“It is a deeply layered defense system, including various types of weapons and means of destruction,” Oleksiy said.
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“I want this war to end”
A pilot from Oleksija's unit, who is training on relatively new interceptor drones, said her previous experience with FPV (first-person perspective) drones helped her prepare for her new role.
The pilot, who also asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons, indicated that one of the challenges was getting used to controlling the aircraft at much higher altitudes than she had experienced before. She added that she looks forward to using these skills in combat.
— I want this war to end she said. — My children live here and I want to do something.
Ukrainian officials describe interceptor drones as an effective and increasingly important element of the country's broader air defense system.
Oleksiy Vyskub, first deputy defense minister of Ukraine, said in a recent interview with Business Insider that although these weapons operate alongside air assets such as helicopters and other anti-aircraft systems, interceptor drones are responsible for the “majority” of downings of enemy drones.
According to Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, the share of Russian Shahid drones shot down by cheap interceptor drones has doubled since the beginning of the year. The number of deliveries of these systems has also increased.
“It's a cheaper, faster and easier to scale response to massive Russian attacks,” Fedorov said.
Ukrainians admit that mastering interceptor drones takes time and learning, but mobile air defense units such as the one commanded by Oleksiy are ready to take on this challenge.
— We always strive to master any new technology we receive said Oleksiy. — First there were regular FPV drones, then interceptor drones. We believe that the more technologically advanced we are, the greater our chances of winning.
The above text is a translation from American edition of Business Insider
