How the Navy will destroy unmanned boats and aerial drones
The Russian Navy has begun to master a new combat training program — anti—ship protection (abbreviated as PRZ). It provides training for ship crews to combat unmanned boats and enemy UAVs. The navy is already receiving additional weapons to combat drones. Experts note that such a course is necessary for any modern fleet. The events of the last two years have shown that drones, and especially unmanned boats, have become a serious threat to warships and naval bases.
Dangerous robots
The combat training program for surface ships of the Russian Navy has included a new training course on anti—ship protection. It provides training for ship crews, as well as entire ship formations, to counteract unmanned boats (BEC) and unmanned aerial vehicles. During its development, the experience of a special military operation was taken into account. The training of the crews has already begun, sources told Izvestia in the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
The program includes exercises such as shooting at surface and small-sized air targets.
The interlocutors of the publication noted that the course first provides training for the crews of individual ships, and then for formations. At the same time, the tasks of collective protection of base points from attacks by UAVs and UAVs are being worked out.
To combat the new threat, the crews received additional weapons — large-caliber machine guns, anti-drone and pump-action rifles, night vision devices and other special equipment, the interlocutors of Izvestia noted.
Ukrainian unmanned Magura V5 boat
Image source: Photo: TASS/AP/Daniyar Sarsenov
The appearance of marine drones entails changes in the tactics of using, first of all, the surface forces of the fleet, Admiral Sergei Avakyants, ex-commander of the Russian Pacific Fleet, told Izvestia.
— At the same time? There have been no fundamental changes in the operational art of using the Navy so far," he explained to Izvestia. — But since a new type of weapon has appeared, which is quite effective, it is now necessary to develop tactical techniques: on the one hand, to counteract this weapon, and on the other, to use it effectively against the enemy. What is now, and in a timely manner, the Russian Navy is busy with.
But it is not necessary to absolutize a new type of weapon, the admiral noted.
— At the moment, the back is limited in speed and seaworthiness, depending on weather conditions. They can be effectively used in closed theaters of military operations. First of all, these are the Baltic and Black Seas. To some extent, unmanned boats can be used against naval bases, therefore, when organizing their protection, this threat must be borne in mind," he concluded.
A soldier fires a KPVT machine gun from aboard a patrol ship
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Evgeny Odinokov
The confrontation with the Ukrainian BEC on the Black Sea showed that they can cause a lot of trouble, military expert Dmitry Boltenkov told Izvestia.
— During the fighting, the situation is constantly changing, new challenges arise, — he explained. — And unmanned boats and UAVs are one of them. In the case of Ukraine, the back must be destroyed at the production sites, then monitor the delivery routes and strike at them. This is the first echelon of defense. Then planes and helicopters, which have already proven their effectiveness in the fight against unmanned boats, should enter the business. The struggle of ships with the back or UAV is the last frontier. The crew has no right to make mistakes here. People should be ready to repel attacks and act as coherently as possible.
According to the expert, the tactics of combating UAVs and UAVs should be mastered by all Russian navies.
— Now the enemy is trying to stretch the battlefield, — he noted. — We are being attacked not only in Ukraine, but also in other places. The countries of the collective West can strike anywhere, then referring to the Ukrainian saboteurs. Our fleet must be prepared for such a development.
The exercises have begun
Crews of ships of the Pacific Fleet (Pacific Fleet) We have already started to master the anti-robot protection program.
Earlier, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the corvette "Gremyashchy" of the Pacific Fleet conducted exercises to combat unmanned boats in the Sea of Japan. According to the scenario of the maneuvers, the ship at the crossing discovered a group of unmanned enemy boats attacking the ship.
The multi-purpose corvette "Rattling" during the preparation for the parade
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Alexander Galperin
All naval drones were destroyed by the corvette's combat crews. The fire was conducted from heavy machine guns and an AK-630M anti-aircraft artillery installation. During the exercises, the crew worked out an algorithm of actions for the distribution of targets and firing by sectors in the conditions of a massive attack by the back.
Take into account the experience
During the development of the program, the closest attention was paid to the experience of confrontation with the BEC in the Black Sea. Since the beginning of the special military operation, Ukraine has attacked ships of the Black Sea Fleet dozens of times with the help of marine drones. Now the news about the destruction of the Ukrainian back is appearing almost daily.
The Russian armed forces not only repel enemy attacks, but also strike at infrastructure associated with unmanned boats. So, on May 29, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced the destruction by naval aviation in the northwestern part of the Black Sea of two Ukrainian BEKS en route to the Crimea.
Firing of AK-630M six-barrel 30mm machine guns at an aerial target
Image source: Photo: TASS/Yuri Smityuk
On the same day, tactical aircraft, UAVs and missile forces launched a series of strikes on the rear areas. Among the destroyed targets is a warehouse where the APU stored unmanned boats.
On May 24, the Ministry of Defense announced the destruction of three unmanned boats in the marine area.
But on May 16, a small battle broke out in the western part of the Black Sea — naval aviation destroyed 12 unmanned boats from standard weapons.
A shot of the destruction of the back of Ukraine from a Russian Navy Ka-29 helicopter
Image source: Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
In the evening, the attacks continued, three more unmanned boats were sunk. In total, during the day, the naval aviation of the Black Sea Fleet sank 15 tanks. A video of the destruction of drones by helicopters was published by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
In May, according to the Russian military department, 40 unmanned boats were destroyed in a storage warehouse.
Our response
Unmanned boats are also being actively developed in Russia. In particular, a drone created at the Kingisepp Machine-Building Plant is being tested in the SWO zone.
Mikhail Danilenko, managing director of the company, previously told Izvestia that they would be tested in combat conditions by special operations forces.
It is known that the boat can hit both sea targets and objects at the water's edge, for example, enemy coastal bases or port facilities.
Their dimensions, low draft and low visibility allow them to be used in the Dnieper riverbed. The boat can carry a combat load of up to 600 kg, its range of use is up to 120 nautical miles, and its speed is up to 45 knots.
Vladimir Matveev
Bogdan Stepovoy
