They will be useful in the destruction of bridges, crossings and dams, including on the Dnieper, experts are sure
A new line of attack floating drones is being developed in Russia, sources told Izvestia in the Russian Defense Ministry. They are designed to destroy bridges, pontoon crossings, dams and hydroelectric power plants. Kamikaze drones will be able to operate on rivers, lakes, in coastal marine areas, on the surface and underwater. Moreover, they will be able to change the depth independently. It is the UAVs that are now changing the architecture of the battlefield, state the official representatives of the Russian army. The need to develop such weapons of destruction was clearly proved by the course of its development, experts agree.
New perspectives
The line of "bridge killers" includes several devices — they differ in the mass of the warhead, as well as the range of navigation, sources told Izvestia in the military department. Some of the products are already in a high degree of readiness and awaiting testing, and some are still only in the project. Promising devices will be able to operate on the surface and under water, and are able to independently change the depth. The new items will be put into service with the engineering troops.
In early April, Maxim Krivosheev, Chairman of the Military Scientific Committee of the Engineering Troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, told Izvestia about the development of such tools.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Andrey Kataev
Image source: iz.ru
— It is drones that now make the main contribution to changes and tactics of use and generally change the architecture of the battlefield, — explained the representative of the engineering troops. — Together with industrial enterprises, we are developing new engineering weapons based on remote access technologies. These are not only unmanned aerial vehicles that are used for mining and to destroy enemy fortifications, but also robotic complexes that are used in kamikaze mode. We are also working on the creation of surface-based weapons to destroy hydraulic structures, bridges and crossings of the enemy.
According to Maxim Krivosheev, robotization is one of the main promising areas for the development of engineering troops.
"Our first priority is to save people,— he said. — And how to do it? Remove from contact with the enemy. All this is achieved by using unmanned technologies.
Since the beginning of the special military operation, many new models of unmanned aerial vehicles have been developed — both surface, underwater, land, and air, Admiral Valentin Selivanov, ex-chief of the General Staff of the Navy, told Izvestia.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Sergey Lantyukhov
Image source: iz.ru
— Technology and weapons are developing. And the conduct of ITS confirmed that this should be done at a faster pace. It is unknown how long we will have to fight, and with whom it is unknown how many rivers and other water areas where such drones can be used. Probably, the general Staff is calculating this matter and considers it necessary to replenish our armament with such military means. SVO has confirmed how effective surface drones can be. This will make it possible not to risk personnel when the task is to destroy a bridge or crossing," the expert stressed.
From Izmail to the Dnieper
Such unmanned vehicles will be able to be effectively used in the Black Sea theater of operations, as well as on the Dnieper, military expert, Captain of the first rank Vasily Dandykin told Izvestia.
— They can be useful in battles in the area of Odessa, Izmail, Ochakov, in the Dnieper region, in complex operations, — he noted. — This is, in fact, a firebrand, a booby-trapped boat, only with artificial intelligence. They will go and destroy the crossings, and we will go after them. Such boats can be indispensable in amphibious operations, with the support of land units. This opens up opportunities for us to take the coast and move on.
The combat use of unmanned boats was the opening of a special military operation. Until now, Ukraine, which remained without a fleet, has mainly used them. Its naval drones have attacked Russian ships and coastal facilities dozens of times.
So, in March last year, senior sailor Marina Faleeva and chief petty Officer Tatyana Tseluiko destroyed three naval drones attacking ships in Sevastopol with small arms.
In May, the Ivan Khurs reconnaissance ship, which ensured the safety of the Turkish Stream and Blue Stream pipelines, sent three unmanned boats to the bottom. On November 10, four surface drones tried to strike at the Russian amphibious assault boats of the 11770 Serna project.
The destruction of drones that attacked the ship "Ivan Khurs" in the Bosporus area
Image source: Photo: TASS/The press service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Practice has shown that unmanned boats can be detected by radar. And naval artillery and small arms are used to destroy them.
On March 20, the head of the Ministry of Defense, Sergei Shoigu, announced at the board of the department the creation of the Dnieper River flotilla. In addition, an army corps, a motorized rifle division and a riverboat brigade will also be formed. Izvestia reported that 130-millimeter self-propelled artillery installations A-222 "Bereg" will also serve in its composition. In addition, marine and special forces units are already being formed in its composition.
Experts suggest that the flotilla will mainly operate on the Dnieper and in the Dnieper-Bug estuary, and will do the same thing as its predecessor during the Great Patriotic War: it will fight enemy boats, land troops, create bridgeheads, and possibly force the Dnieper.
Alexey Mikhailov
Roman Kretsul