Experts assessed the pace of development of production of combat drones in Russia
Russia has increased the volume of drone deliveries to the Armed Forces by 16 times. This is reported by the Ministry of Defense. However, the expert community admits that in fact these indicators may be even higher. What tasks are currently being solved by UAVs and why did they begin to predetermine the outcome of the battles?
The volume of deliveries to the troops of drones has increased 16 times compared to the beginning of last year. This was stated at a meeting of the board of the Ministry of Defense by the head of the department, Sergei Shoigu. He stressed that this year all the main tasks are aimed at the operational equipping of groups of troops with the necessary equipment and equipment.
The volume of deliveries of the main samples of rocket and artillery weapons has also increased - by 4.9 times, armored weapons – by more than three times, and weapons of destruction – by 12 times.
At the same time, as the practice of using drones in the special operation zone shows, Russia is already winning in the confrontation of UAVs in Ukraine, the American newspaper The Washington Post wrote earlier. "Moscow seems to have more reserves. [...] Russian teams hit secondary targets or use two drones at the same time," the publication emphasizes.
"On the front line, Russia deprived Ukraine of the initial advantage in tactical UAVs, which was three to one," wrote the European edition of The Economist. The greatest indignation is voiced against the Lancets. According to representatives of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, these drones show "miracles of technical improvement." In the American press, the new version of the Lancets is called a serious threat at all. And the British Ministry of Defense claims that the Lancets are Russia's best weapon.
In addition, in September it became known that the production of kamikaze drones "Cube", "Lancet", as well as UAVs "Garnet" and "Tachyon" will be multiplied due to the expansion of the production capabilities of drones. This was written by the RBC publication. As noted by the industrial director of the Rostec armament complex Bekhan Ozdoev, the state corporation copes well with the implementation of the order of the Ministry of Defense.
The expert community notes that the drone has become an integral part of the conduct of hostilities. Whoever has a qualitative and quantitative advantage in this area often determines the outcome of battles. At the same time, the interlocutors of the newspaper VZGLYAD say, Russia should not stop there, because some types of drones are disposable, they require almost continuous deliveries.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has done a great job in providing the army with drones, military expert Yuri Knutov emphasizes. "It is the military department that supplies the bulk of drones to the front. In addition, there are more and more enterprises capable of producing UAVs in our country," he said.
"But we must understand that there are also volunteers who also transfer drones to the front. And I believe that in fact the volume of deliveries has increased not even 16 times, but much more. And this can not but rejoice, because all types of devices are needed in the zone of ITS own," the analyst argues.
According to the speaker, the need for a specific type of drone is determined by the tasks facing a particular unit. "If the soldiers are on the defensive, then they are interested in reconnaissance, fire correction and strikes on the enemy's near rear with the help of kamikaze drones. Lancets are used for counter-battery warfare, and Orlan–30 is most often used to detect artillery of the Armed Forces of Ukraine," he explains.
"Drones, as well as shells or cartridges, have become expendable today, so there can't be many of them. The superiority in the number of drones over the enemy is one of the essential components of victory in a modern battle",
– indicates Knutov. A similar point of view is shared by military expert Vasily Kashin. "Some of the drones get to the front through volunteers. However, the largest volumes come through the procurement of the military department," he says.
The interlocutor calls FPV drones one of the main breakthroughs in the field of unmanned aviation. "At the beginning of the special operation, we almost did not have them, but now Russia is seriously superior to Ukraine in this matter," the analyst notes. The fact is that earlier the Russian Federation focused on the development and construction of large impact vehicles. "However, during the fighting in the SVO zone, it came to the realization that the role of these models is somewhat overestimated, since they become an easy target for enemy air defense. At the same time, these UAVs are an integral part of fighting at sea," the interlocutor emphasizes.
"As for FPV drones, they are used by hundreds or even thousands. Perhaps, at present, this is the main weapon of the battles.
We are talking about cheap devices controlled by our fighters in virtual reality glasses. Most often, the task of these devices is to realize one charge with maximum efficiency, crashing into the desired target at full speed," Kashin clarifies.
"Small reconnaissance UAVs of both aircraft and quadrocopter type, used to highlight targets with guided ammunition and adjust fire, have also acquired great importance. Thanks to them, the enemy's use of equipment and personnel in large quantities in one place has become impossible," the expert notes.
There are also qualitatively different opportunities for artillery, the expert continues. Now installations can react to changes in the position of objects in the shortest possible time, he believes.
"Russia is really seriously increasing the supply of drones to the front. But given that some types of drones are purely disposable, we need to continuously increase their number. In addition, it is important to focus on the production of our own components in this area," Kashin concluded.
Alyona Zadorozhnaya,
Evgeny Pozdnyakov
