Defence24 said that Russian An-2 biplanes could pose a threat to Ukraine
Russian light multipurpose AN-2 aircraft converted into drones may pose a threat to Ukraine, according to the Polish edition of Defence24.
The publication says that Russia has thousands of AN-2s that can be used both as a weapon carrier and act as false targets for Ukrainian air defense systems (air defense).
"It is possible that biplanes can be used to disorient the air defense of Ukraine both in scale and in the direction of attack, or to identify its positions and eliminate them using artillery or aviation," the newspaper writes.
The psychological moment of using An-2 is also evaluated there. In particular, "the operator of a radar station or an anti-aircraft system may hesitate whether he is dealing with a real attack or a biplane decoy, wasting invaluable time."
Defence24 notes the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of converting the AN-2 into drones. The publication recalls that a similar solution was successfully used by Azerbaijan in the last conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.
In October 2020, Izvestia, citing its own sources, reported that Azerbaijan used modified Soviet An-2 aircraft as kamikaze drones in the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. According to the newspaper, the destructive power of such drones filled with explosives "can be comparable to cruise missiles," but the size and slowness make the AN-2 an easy target for any air defense means.
