Drone duels: Ukraine's innovative air combat solutions
Drones have become indispensable on the battlefield in Ukraine. Even though Ukrainians have an advantage in using them, the Russians are also managing well. This necessitates the development of effective anti-drone defences, with fighter drones being the most intriguing case. Here’s what is known about them.
Initially, the main way to defend against drones was GPS or control signal jammers, but over time, both Ukrainians and Russians have learned to handle them. The first method involved manipulating the control signal frequency, and now, particularly on the Russian side, there are drones with deployable fibre optics.
Such a drone cannot be jammed in any way, and the only way to eliminate it is through physical destruction. For this purpose, both sides use, among other things, smoothbore shotguns, but their range is limited.
Now, a video has surfaced online of a Ukrainian drone likely of the "Baba Yaga" type carrying what appears to be two ultra-light shotguns. The drone pilot then approaches a Russian drone from behind and, at an appropriate distance, fires a shot that results in a takedown.
"Drone Winchester" — the world's first fighter drone
It is worth noting that Ukrainians have been experimenting for at least a few months with mounting AK rifles on FPV drones and testing the capabilities of using fully robotic assault groups.
In this context, the creation of fighter drones to combat other drones was a matter of when, not if. The use of "Baba Yaga" drones capable of carrying up to 20 kilograms of payload is an optimal solution here, although stripped-down, single-shot smoothbore shotguns may weigh as little as 1 kilogram or less. For example, complete single-shot Turkish FRANCOLIN AXE SB-PG 12-gauge shotguns weigh about 1.6 kilograms.
Mounting such a shotgun on a drone is entirely possible, and setting a sight, for instance, at 15-25 metres is also feasible. Such a fighter drone in the hands of an experienced pilot can be an effective tool. Ideally (if the load capacity allows), the application of a movable turret with a weapon tracking a marked object based on artificial intelligence algorithms and with a laser rangefinder for measuring distance.
Most likely, the one in the video is a prototype that, after proving the effectiveness of the fighter drone concept, will be refined over time. This is another example of Ukrainian creativity in the war with Russia and progress compared to ramming drones.
