They will protect the trains from attacks by drones with a long range.
Russian troops have begun using a new means of protecting freight trains in their area — special platforms with drone destruction systems and personnel protection. They each have two concrete cylinders for hiding fighters, as well as machine guns and electronic warfare equipment. This solution should protect the trains from attacks by drones with a long range, which can appear even several tens of kilometers from the front line. According to experts, this is the right solution to protect logistics routes, as it is the railway trains that are one of the key elements of supplying our troops.
What do security platforms look like?
In the area of the special military operation, special railway platforms began to be used to protect freight trains, sources familiar with the situation told Izvestia. Concrete cylinders are installed on both sides of them, between which are placed twin heavy machine guns and electronic warfare equipment. Protection in the form of anti-drone nets is installed on top. The platforms are located at the head and tail of the train.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Stanislav Krasilnikov
Image source: iz.ru
Their use has two purposes. Concrete shelters provide protection for personnel accompanying the cargo. And weapons systems allow drones to be destroyed if they attack a train.
— The search for new technologies to protect cargo transportation in the free zone is ongoing. We are talking about both the cargo itself and the fighters who accompany it. After all, the enemy is always looking for ways to disrupt our military logistics," an associate professor at the Russian University of Economics told Izvestia. Plekhanova, Colonel Alexander Perendzhiev.
He explained why it is important to protect the head and tail of the train.
"A strike on the locomotive and on the last car creates the opportunity to destroy the entire train using the same drones or MLRS HIMARS and other means," explained Alexander Perendzhiev. — By the way, sometimes it happens that in addition to the locomotive that goes in front, there is also a locomotive behind. This is necessary so that the train can quickly return from the unloading station without wasting time. And in case of defeat of both locomotives, the enemy can methodically destroy the entire cargo. Therefore, measures are being taken to protect them.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Evgeny Biyatov
Image source: iz.ru
The appearance of such train protection is due to an increase in the range of drones, military expert Yuri Lyamin believes. He also drew attention to the fact that railway trains are one of the key elements of supplying our troops.
"They are currently under a very serious burden in transportation," he said. — It is quite difficult to transport goods on such a large scale through the road network. Therefore, even if there is a large number of vehicles, railway supply is of great importance.
The platform solution is very similar to how freight trains that ran on railways during the Great Patriotic War were equipped, military expert Alexei Leonkov told Izvestia.
— Anti-aircraft guns were also placed at the beginning and behind the train. And if it was long, then it was between them," the expert explained.
According to Alexey Leonkov, the platforms that have started to be equipped with trains today are a temporary solution. However, if they show their effectiveness in practice, it will be possible to count on the development of these means of protection.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Stanislav Krasilnikov
Image source: iz.ru
— If all this proves itself in a positive way, then it will be possible to make industrial designs that will be equipped with all means of protecting personnel, including aerial reconnaissance systems to detect threats such as drones, and possibly even cruise missiles. As well as complexes for defeating these targets," the expert concluded.
How its railway troops are changing
Earlier, Izvestia reported that railway drones, remotely controlled platforms, began to be used in the special military operation zone. They can travel faster than other modes of transport and work in any weather. Each platform carries more than a ton of cargo and has a range of about 50 km. Units of the railway troops deliver ammunition, water and provisions to Russian servicemen on them.
In recent years, the railway troops have been continuously developing. Last year, a section on combating UAVs appeared in their combat training program. When conducting classes within the framework of this course, the experience gained during the military training is taken into account, and the personnel are directly involved in combat operations.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Stanislav Krasilnikov
Image source: iz.ru
The destruction of drones is practiced using smoothbore weapons, regular submachine guns, machine guns, including large-caliber, as well as anti-aircraft installations, including twin ZU-23-2. In addition, electronic warfare is being used.
Until 2014, the military leadership had a vague idea of what to do with the railway troops, and there were even plans to eliminate them. However, with the outbreak of the conflict in Donbass, they found a use: in 2015-2017, they were the ones who built the Zhuravka–Millerovo branch bypassing Ukraine.
Railway troops have been actively involved since the first days of the special military operation. They are responsible for anti-sabotage measures and infrastructure protection, conducting technical and engineering reconnaissance of routes, conducting mine clearance, transporting materials, escorting military trains, and also participating in humanitarian actions.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Alexander Galperin
Image source: iz.ru
The troops have special trains "Baikal", "Amur", "Volga" and "Yenisei". They are armed with 82-mm mortars, BMP-2 with a 30-mm cannon, heavy machine guns NSV "Utes", twin anti-aircraft guns ZU-23-2. The design allows you to quickly build up anti-aircraft weapons. There are also electronic warfare equipment on board to suppress radio-controlled explosive devices and drones for reconnaissance of traffic routes.
Repair units and mobile tactical groups are present on each such train. The platforms of the armored trains are loaded with rails and sleepers, thanks to which the personnel can restore up to 100 m of the upper structure of the track on their own.
Roman Kretsul
Maxim Vysochin
