More unmanned missiles are being used in the war in Ukraine than in any previous conflict. Even the US military canceled its billion-dollar FARA attack helicopter program because of the experience. However, the systems used in Ukraine are not always high-tech flying robots. Quite the opposite: simple drones equipped only with a camera are widely used. These so-called first-person view devices (FPV) have proven particularly valuable for spying on enemy positions. For this reason, Latvia has launched a “drone alliance” to supply Ukraine with a total of one million drones.
Both Ukraine and Russia are increasingly relying on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Germany is involved
The country is leading the initiative along with Great Britain and is investing tens of millions of euros. “Drone technology has a huge impact on military strategy and tactical control. Drones are an essential part of Ukraine's capabilities – they are capable of both reconnaissance and strikes against enemy targets. This alliance will ensure efficient and rapid delivery of drones to Ukraine,” he said. Latvian Defense Minister Andris Sprouts. Apart from Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Sweden also want to participate in the initiative. They signed a declaration of intent on February 14 at a meeting of the Ukraine Security Liaison Committee in support of Ukraine at NATO headquarters in Brussels. According to the British Defense Secretary, most of them are FPV drones. “We are involved in 200 million pounds of drone production and are the largest drone supplier in Ukraine,” said Grand Shops.
FPV drones are not only used for reconnaissance.
Even simple drones are armed
Ukraine produced 300,000 drones last year, Mykhailo Fedorov reported at the Munich Security Conference. As the Ukrainian Minister of Digital Transformation explained, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have 60 drone attack units and have already destroyed more than 14,000 Russian military objects. Even simple FPV systems often don't fly unarmed. Photos and videos show the use of hand grenades and landmines.
Apart from assault rifles, Kalashnikov now also makes unmanned missiles.
Kalashnikov drones
Russia also relies heavily on the use of drones. Kalashnikov Group's research and production association for unmanned systems in Ishsk plans to increase drone production tenfold this year. At least that's what Kalashnikov President Alan Luzhnikov assured Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu during his visit. For this purpose, the factory has built a new production hall and created 360 additional jobs. Kalashnikov develops, among other things, the KUB-BLA armed with an explosive device.
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