Drones redefine warfare: Fiber optics evade jamming in Ukraine
Drones have become one of the primary methods of warfare in Ukraine, immediately following artillery in importance. Hiding heavy equipment within the ruins of buildings no longer guarantees its safety. Even a minor gap can lead to the loss of equipment worth millions.
The introduction and proliferation of drones utilizing fiber optics a few months ago have significantly altered the battlefield, as jammers are now ineffective. However, it's important to note that fiber optic drones still constitute a minority.
For this reason, they are mainly deployed to target more valuable assets, particularly behind enemy lines where jammers are common. In the video below, you can see drones entering hangars where Russian forces have concealed self-propelled howitzers. The first is likely a 2S1 Gvozdika and the second a 2S19 Msta-S, and both were destroyed.
Fiber optic drones — a return to the state at the turn of 2022 and 2023
Drones connected to control stations via fiber optics have led to a resurgence in drone usage similar to the period at the end of 2022 and the start of 2023. During this time, drones effectively neutralized armoured equipment without consequence, while defense measures against them were still evolving.
Over time, jammers were developed that varied in effectiveness based on the frequency coverage employed by enemy drone operators, resulting in periods of both efficacy and ineffectiveness for drones.
Fiber optic drones have mitigated these fluctuations in effectiveness because they are immune to jamming; additionally, they are passive and do not emit radio signals. These signals could be detected by detectors that even allow viewing from the drone's camera.
The drawback of using a fiber optic connection is the requirement to carry a spool with the unwinding fiber optic cable, which limits the range and payload capacity of the drone. The range of these drones can vary from 6 to 12 miles or even extend to 25 miles, as mentioned by an officer with the pseudonym "Madziar." However, an increase in range generally results in a decrease in payload capacity for a combat warhead.
