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| Putin Should Be Very Worried About Ukraine's New Kamikaze Drone |
| 2022-07-01 |
| [Daily Beast] The war in Ukraine is no stranger to drones, but the kamikaze drone strike on the Russian city of Rostov last week marked the beginning of a whole chapter in drone warfare. A small ramshackle Ukrainian drone with a tiny warhead flew across the heavily defended front line and smashed into an oil refinery in Russia on June 22, causing a large fire. Given how cheap it is to make a drone, and its successful evasion of Russian air defenses, Russian officials might soon have to worry about defending oil facilities, supply depots, and military installations deep in Russian territory. Long-range kamikaze drones are a new threat to Russia. Most observers of the conflict in Ukraine are familiar with the Switchblade drones provided by the U.S., but these have a relatively short range and require operators to direct it onto a target. Kamikaze drones like the one used in the Rostov attack can go hundreds of miles without the need for an operator, and are small enough to slip by much of Russia’s air defense, which is designed to detect and engage fighter jets and missiles. With the use of GPS and inertial guidance systems, a Ukrainian operator would simply need to give the drone a point on the map before sending it on its way. For Russia, the biggest concern is that Ukraine can make these cheaply and easily. Press reports claim the drone used in the Rostov attack was produced by Ukraine or a was model available on the internet for less than $10,000. Airframes, engines, and guidance systems could all be bought commercially and assembled without too much technical expertise. The payloads are likely small and the drone can’t re-adjust if the coordinates are wrong, but it costs a fraction of its American and Turkish-made counterparts and can do millions of dollars in damage if it hits a fuel tank or sets fire to a docked naval vessel. Depending on the final unit cost, Ukrainian drones could conceivably be cheaper than the missiles Russia would use to shoot them down. |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #10 ^Signals intelligence. In this day and age only a small advantage as hacking or espionage tactics are alive and well. NSA is overrated in my opinion. China has demonstrated its abilities massively in this arena. NSA as with this administration are most adept attacking their own people. |
| Posted by: Dale 2022-07-01 17:06 |
| #9 Once you give up ELINT, you can't get it back... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2022-07-01 12:43 |
| #8 "The reports claim that Israeli jets missed their target because of robust electronic suppression, The rest of Dale’s article is interesting. My takeaway is that while Russia could have jammed the Israeli electronics in that exercise, they mist likely did not because they only jam over their own sites, not even when the Israelis attack Iranian sites. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2022-07-01 12:30 |
| #7 "The reports claim that Israeli jets missed their target because of robust electronic suppression, which disrupted the weapon systems of the Lockheed Martin F-35 jets." |
| Posted by: Dale 2022-07-01 10:50 |
| #6 #2 On June 22nd 1940, the first Dairy Queen restaurant opened in Joliet, Illinois. Or were you thinking of Operation Barbarossa kicking off on the same day just one year later? Mystically aligned, perhaps? Posted by Mullah Richard 2022-07-01 10:08|| ...I was thinking of Barbarossa, but the DQ thing is nice too. And now I'm craving a Mr. Misty. Mike |
| Posted by: MikeKozlowski 2022-07-01 10:37 |
| #5 Technology will develop to nullify this cheap warfare. Israel has a Laser system now. Iron Beam and works. Soon others will have it and share where needed. I can see Israel cozy up to Russia rather than the Chinese just as India has. |
| Posted by: Dale 2022-07-01 10:34 |
| #4 Iran did this to Saudi Arabia a couple years ago. Cheaper and reusable drone air defenses are in the works. With freakin' lasers. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2022-07-01 10:22 |
| #3 But I will pass on the borscht Blizzardâ„¢. |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2022-07-01 10:10 |
| #2 On June 22nd 1940, the first Dairy Queen restaurant opened in Joliet, Illinois. Or were you thinking of Operation Barbarossa kicking off on the same day just one year later? Mystically aligned, perhaps? |
| Posted by: Mullah Richard 2022-07-01 10:08 |
| #1 ...Just for laughs, look up what June 22nd is the anniversary of... Mike |
| Posted by: MikeKozlowski 2022-07-01 08:39 |