Russia's unconventional anti-drone tactic shows potential
The Russians encounter notable challenges in countering Ukrainian drones at the front line and deeper within Russia. Some soldiers are attempting to act independently and create solutions with available resources. While some results are ineffective, others show promise. Here, we introduce an anti-drone system belonging to the latter category, based on the Mi-24 helicopter's weaponry.
Both Russians and Ukrainians are improvising with the development of anti-drone solutions. The Russians have a reputation for constructing unconventional vehicles reminiscent of the Mad Max universe. At the same time, the Ukrainians have effectively equipped M75 cannons with a fire control system that includes thermal imaging.
Meanwhile, there are also logical solutions on the Russian side, such as the system shown in the photo below. It features an anti-drone setup based on a four-barrel, large-calibre machine gun JaKB-12.7 (calibre 12.7x108 mm), fitted with a collimator sight and a thermal imaging camera with a display. This setup is mounted on a tripod, likely attached to a Lada or a similar vehicle.
Large-calibre JaKB-12.7 machine gun as anti-drone defence — the idea isn't new
The concept of using large-calibre machine guns as anti-drone weapons, with an effective range of up to 1,600 metres due to the affordability and availability of ammunition, is not new.
However, its Russian low-cost equivalent isn't an automated weapon equipped with radars; instead, it is operated by a shooter who uses a thermal imaging camera and possibly a laser rangefinder to gauge the distance to the target.
JaKB-12.7 as anti-drone defence — it could work
If the shooter has experience and uses tracer ammunition, this system could be effective, particularly against larger bombing drones such as "Baba Yaga" at a range of several hundred metres. However, it won't have the precision and efficiency of a computerised fire control system coupled with radar.
On the other hand, the firing rate of the JaKB-12.7 machine gun, which is 4,000-5,000 rounds per minute, allows it to "drench the target in lead" as long as there's a sufficient supply of ammunition. More importantly, it's a more effective solution than the futile attempt to shoot down drones several hundred metres away with AK rifles or shotguns.
