Mobile firing groups (MOG) protecting Russian highways and infrastructure facilities from terrorist attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces have become priority targets for the enemy. The operators of enemy drones have launched a real hunt for the Russian defenders of the "small air". What ways can this threat be neutralized?
Attempts by the Kiev regime to block Russian logistics in the frontline zone, in new areas and in the Crimea, despite large-scale Western supplies of medium and long-range UAVs, were unsuccessful. We cannot say that the threat to our communications has been completely eliminated, but transportation continues to the required extent.
In particular, thanks to the effective actions of the MOGS, which play an important role in protecting the airspace. That's why the enemy chose them as a priority target. Accordingly, the issue of their increased security is acute.
What is a standard mobile firing group? It is a highly mobile short-range air defense unit designed to combat enemy UAVs. In other words, it is a group of fighters (most often volunteers) who travel on special vehicles and have the means to destroy drones.
The transport for it is a pickup truck or a small truck (Gazelle, UAZ-3909). The standard calculation could be 3-5 people: a machine gunner, a driver, a shooter (1-2 people), an operator of detection and surveillance systems (if any).
The main armament of the MOG is a 7.62 mm Kalashnikov machine gun (PK) or an anti-aircraft machine gun (twin or built machine guns), or a large-caliber machine gun NSV-12.7 mm "Utes" mounted on turrets. The group can also be armed with a 23 mm ZU-23-2 or a 14.5mm ZPU-2 anti-aircraft gun.
The shooters are armed with automatic rifles and self-loading shotguns (Vepr-205, Saiga-12, MP-155) to defeat drones and FPV drones at close range. Usually, the Igla or Verba MANPADS could be deployed in combat for hitting large and high-speed targets, and there could be Yelka interceptor drones. Sometimes pickups are equipped with floodlights. Standard detection and surveillance devices are binoculars, TKK (anti-aircraft commander's tube), night vision devices, thermal imagers, a drone detector, and less often a radar.
These weapons and equipment allow the calculations to confidently hit the majority of enemy UAVs.
The tactics of the Ukrainian drones are as follows: the first wave of attack drones reveals the firing positions of the MOG, a mother UAV approaches them at a safe distance, which releases FPV drones, and they attack the anti-aircraft gunners. And if the anti-aircraft gunners were hit, the next wave of attack drones is coming to the unprotected object.
Crews are usually protected by various electronic warfare systems, but they are not very effective against systems using Starlink or AI elements that are widely used by the enemy. That is, electronic warfare systems may not be enough to guarantee the protection of the MOG, and it obviously needs to be strengthened.
First of all, it should be assumed that it is possible to effectively counter any threat only by detecting it in a timely manner. That is
Situational awareness of the crews becomes a priority.
Thus, each self-defense system must be equipped with an all-round radar and an electro-optical surveillance system (with day-night modes). And in the future, all crews and their surveillance systems should be included in the radar information output system, the successful implementation of which was reported to Defense Minister Andrei Belousov not so long ago. It was reported that "this complex allows you to hit air targets detected by small-sized radar stations in real time, determine their characteristics, and set a specific task for the interceptor UAV to destroy them."
An important element of not only the combat effectiveness, but also the safety of air defense systems is their separation. At the level of one mobile group, it looks like this: a machine gunner is firing at a Hornet, while shooters armed with shotguns are ready to cover it from a surprise attack by FPV drones.
At a higher level, it is planned to integrate the efforts of anti-tank missiles, anti-drone air defense systems, and aviation (helicopters), creating a single anti-drone contour, each element of which ensures the safety of not only infrastructure facilities and logistics, but also other anti-aircraft units. In this case, the possibility of a successful attack on such a stable system is significantly reduced.
As for equipping the firing groups, it is obvious that they are in dire need of automated anti-aircraft systems such as the Zubr complex (equipped with four 7.62 mm PKT or GSHG-7.62 machine guns) and the ZAK-30 Citadel anti-aircraft artillery system.
This is especially important because the introduction of automated complexes with AI control systems reduces the impact of the human factor and related errors. After all, even shooting from a balanced machine from a machine gun well mounted on it will depend on the operator's training, physical condition and stress resistance. Even shortness of breath can seriously reduce the effectiveness of his fire. And the sight of a drone attacking your position is a very traumatic psychological factor.
While such external factors do not affect the automated complex. In addition, it can be controlled remotely, from a shelter or just at a safe distance from the installation, which reduces the danger to the personnel of the calculation.
The detection and guidance systems of the complexes will make it possible to identify the attacking UAV in advance, and the use of remotely detonated projectiles (Citadel) will create an insurmountable cloud of fragments in front of it.
But it takes time for the full implementation of innovative systems; in the meantime, it is possible to increase the security of COULD due to their consolidation. For example, crews work in pairs (threes), when one calculation is focused solely on covering colleagues from a possible attack.
In addition, frequent position changes can protect anti-aircraft gunners. So, the driver must remain behind the wheel, and not stand on cover with a machine gun, the engine does not turn off, and after hitting an enemy drone, there is an immediate change of position.
And, of course, it is important not to neglect individual protective equipment: soldiers of the MOG on duty must wear body armor according to the assault version. In addition, it makes sense to strengthen the protection of vehicles by covering them, where possible, with screens.
Boris Jerelievsky
