unafraid of electronic interference, "wire-controlled drones" appear on the russian-ukrainian battlefield
2024-09-12
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a simple drone carrying explosives. image source: social media platform "x"
comprehensive compilation chen rongsheng
on the front lines of the russian-ukrainian conflict, the offense and defense around drones has become a catalyst for innovation in military technology. recently, russia has deployed a fiber-optic controlled drone to the front lines, which is said to be "immune" to electronic interference. foreign media believe that although it may not necessarily overturn the battlefield pattern, it does add new examples to the complexity and variability of drone warfare.
since ukraine invaded russia's kursk region, there have been reports on social media that the russian army used wire-controlled drones to attack ukrainian tanks and troop carriers. compared with traditional radio-controlled drones, this type of drone can capture clearer images of targets. a "telegram" social media channel operated by the russian military said: "by transmitting signals through optical fiber, we can ensure the drone's accuracy and anti-interference ability."
a report published by the us website business insider pointed out that the first sighting of a wire-controlled drone can be traced back to march this year. since then, the frequency of this weapon has gradually increased. thanks to wired control, the drone can maintain a connection with the operator for a long time, ensuring high-quality video transmission in a complex electromagnetic environment, allowing the operator to accurately grasp the dynamics of the target.
the uas vision website in the uk pointed out that using optical fiber to control drones is not unique to russia, and some european countries have also demonstrated similar concepts. in ukraine, a government crowdfunding project code-named "united24" announced plans to test a wire-controlled drone in september this year.
stacey pettyjohn, director of the defense program at the think tank center for a new american security, analyzed that although it is difficult to judge the effectiveness of such systems based on information on the internet, the rise of wired control technology is logical considering the threat of electronic interference.
wire-controlled drones are just one strategy for russia and ukraine to deal with electronic interference. the two countries are also exploring simpler and more economical solutions, one of which is to equip drones with image recognition modules. in this way, drones can achieve "fire and forget", automatically find and lock targets, no longer fear signal interruptions, and reduce the requirements for operators.
by contrast, the addition of fiber optics and wire-laying equipment makes the drone more like a slow-moving loitering munition, reminiscent of the wire-guided anti-tank missiles popular in the last century, such as the american tow, which allowed operators to adjust their flight path after launch.
but overall, the disadvantages of wired control outweigh the advantages, and it is more like a transitional solution. first, the simple drones used in large numbers by russia and ukraine are originally disposable weapons with a short range, small size and limited load capacity. "if additional optical fiber is added, these drones will not fly far," said pettijohn. second, optical fiber may be stuck by obstacles such as branches, or entangled with other drones, which will limit the combat capability of drones.
business insider said that although the advantages and disadvantages of wire-controlled drones are well known, their achievements are real. in the frontline areas, the electronic confrontation between russia and ukraine is becoming increasingly fierce, and the biggest problem facing drones is "interference" rather than "getting entangled in trees." therefore, before technologies such as image recognition become more reliable and cheaper, the advantages of wired control are enough to outweigh its shortcomings.
in ukraine, simple drones have been flooding into the battlefield for the past two years. at first, they only served as a means of battlefield surveillance and fire guidance, but soon evolved into a deadly threat to soldiers and vehicles, becoming the best choice for low-cost precision strikes. today, hundreds of drones drop bombs on soldiers every day, or raid enemy vehicles and bunkers loaded with explosives, and some people try to use them to intercept large, high-value targets such as helicopters.
subsequently, the upgrade of electronic warfare equipment weakened the edge of drones, which led to the emergence of wire-controlled drones. as countermeasures continue to develop, more advanced weapons may replace them in the future, perhaps artificial intelligence-driven drones or other forms of unmanned systems. many people believe that unmanned ground combat systems may be the next "game changer."
as long as the conflict continues, russia and ukraine will continue to innovate in combat, quickly adapting to and countering each other's technological innovations. a ukrainian official told business insider, "this is the most technologically advanced war in human history." he further explained, "technology plays a decisive role on the battlefield, and basically, we are rediscovering its uses every day."
source: china youth daily client
