Drones take center stage: Redefining warfare in Ukraine
Drones are transforming the conduct of warfare in Ukraine, supplanting traditional ground combat, reports the "Guardian".
The conflict in Ukraine has evolved significantly with the deployment of drones, which are increasingly replacing conventional ground combat. According to the "Guardian", Ukrainian soldiers have observed that "there are fewer ground battles because drone engagements in the air are supplanting them".
New combat strategy
The "Guardian" writes, "Front lines, once defined by infantry positions, are now several miles deep in a perilous zone where Ukrainian and Russian drones engage in combat." Denys, a Ukrainian soldier, recalls an earlier time in 2022 when, "we were running with rifles and taking cover behind trees. There is less traditional gunfire and more combat involving drones, whether through confrontation or support."
Ubiquity of drones
Despite ongoing artillery and mortar shelling, small drones equipped with live-feed (FPV) technology have become indispensable in this war. These unmanned aerial vehicles, capable of carrying approximately two pounds of explosives, are used for precision strikes and swarm attacks. A Ukrainian soldier describes these operations as "artillery bombing by drones."
Denys recounts how, during battles near the city of Toretsk in Donbas, "we were releasing two pounds of explosives onto Russian positions every eight minutes for three hours, until the Russians withdrew."
FPV drones travel around 40 mph and are fitted with thermal cameras, enabling effective nocturnal operations. However, their flight duration is constrained by battery life, and their effective range is about three miles. The "Guardian" stresses that mastering drone operation necessitates "70 hours of flying in a simulator and 70 hours of hands-on training with the drone itself".
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