The relocation of service centers closer to the front line helped in this.
The ultra-long-range "eyes" of artillery and reconnaissance — aircraft—type drones - today largely determine the appearance of their military. They spend hours hanging over the enemy's rear, opening reserves and correcting fire. But the more intensively they are used, the more acute the issue of maintenance becomes. Until recently, the repair of such UAVs was carried out deep in the rear and lasted for months. The solution was to move the repair facilities closer to the line of contact. The Izvestia correspondent visited one of the technical and operational units of the Center group of forces and saw how the damaged sides returned to service in two or three days.
Factory standard in the frontline lane
The sky over Donetsk is crowded. Reconnaissance UAVs, capable of penetrating deep into the enemy's rear, have become a key element of command and control. The constant presence of "birds" in the air requires well-established logistics: one side replaces the other, providing continuous broadcasting for headquarters and artillery crews. In such conditions, any breakdown or damage is not just the loss of expensive equipment, but a temporarily blinded unit.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
Image source: iz.ru
The technical and operational part of the 1st Slavyansk Brigade of the 51st Guards Army of the Center group of forces is located just a few dozen kilometers from the line of contact. A full-fledged service center has been deployed here to service the Skat-350M UAV. This is the result of direct cooperation between the military and the manufacturing plant.
— Here we perform the full range of work: from routine maintenance to complex damage recovery. Replacement of spare parts, adjustment of electronics, calibration of systems — everything is done on the spot," explains the head of the calculation with the call sign Drin.
Previously, complex logistics turned fixing any malfunction into a long process. Broken devices were first stored in a warehouse, then they were transported hundreds of kilometers to a manufacturing plant, where they waited their turn for repair and were transported back. The process lasted for one to two months. Today, the damaged aircraft returns to service in two to three days. And this is taking into account the completion of all necessary documents.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
Image source: iz.ru
The CHP workshops work around the clock. Craftsmen restore the composite parts of the airframe, patch holes in the metal, solder electronic components. Special attention is paid to the "eyes" of the machine — optoelectronic surveillance units, which often suffer from splinters or hard landings.
From the volunteers to the contract
The history of this workshop is an example of personal initiative. Drin himself suggested that the plant's management move the repair facilities closer to the front line. Industrialists supported the idea by providing the fuel pump with equipment and the necessary stock of components.
The officer himself began his military service as part of one of the volunteer detachments that were not part of the Ministry of Defense. But during the mobilization period, I went to the military enlistment office to sign a contract.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
Image source: iz.ru
— I also had a fighter as a volunteer. He was mobilized. How could I leave my man? He came to the contract with the rank of ensign, and here he was already appointed to an officer position. It's just camaraderie and duty, nothing superfluous," Drin shrugs.
The fighter the commander is talking about is an operator with the call sign Lapot. There is an eloquent inscription on his chevron: "From takeoff to landing, everything is on me." Before the conflict, he served in law enforcement agencies and had no combat experience.
How Stingrays work
In a combat position under camouflage nets, the fighters prepare the "Ramp" for departure. The catapult is hidden until the last moment, until the final tests of all systems are completed. Lapot shows us an updated modification of the aircraft. The main innovation is additional video cameras that cover the "dead zones" of the main optics.
— Previously, we only looked down at the ground. Now we see what's going on around us," says the fighter. — The enemy is actively using FPV drones to intercept our scouts. The new cameras allow you to spot the threat in time and evade it.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
Image source: iz.ru
In addition, the Skat was equipped with special radio equipment. As soon as the sensors detect the signal of an enemy interceptor drone, the vehicle automatically initiates an evasive maneuver. Our pilots have learned to avoid EW zones for a long time, but now the fight has shifted to the plane of high-speed aerial duels.
Inside the secure control room, operators Raven and Bychin look at wide monitors. In the hands of one of them is an ordinary game joystick, which was previously associated only with esports. Now it is a multi-million dollar device management tool.
— Today, an objective control of the defeat of the stronghold was carried out, — reports Bychin. — A machine-gunner was holed up there, he did not allow our infantry to enter the village. The coordinates of the artillery were transmitted, worked out, the target was destroyed.
The main job of the Stingrays is the painstaking hunt for enemy equipment and reserves. Since 2023, these guys have changed several types of UAVs, constantly improving their skills. In conjunction with the front-line "service center", their work turns into a well-established conveyor, where each flight brings the result closer, and each "bird" saved in the TCH protects the lives of our soldiers on the front line.
Dmitry Astrakhan
