How Ukraine is hunting Russian Shahed drones with Soviet-era propeller planes | DW News

Key Concepts

• Asymmetric Warfare: Utilizing inexpensive, readily available resources to counter a technologically superior adversary.
• Defense-Offense Dialectic: The continuous cycle of developing offensive capabilities and defensive countermeasures.
• Resourcefulness and Innovation: Adapting existing technologies and resources in novel ways to address specific challenges.
• Mobilization of State Resources: Integrating old and new technologies in a comprehensive approach to warfare.
• Hybrid Warfare: Combining traditional military platforms with emerging technologies like drones.
• Cost-Effectiveness: Balancing the cost of defense with the value of the targets being protected.
• Electronic Warfare: Employing measures to disrupt or exploit the electromagnetic spectrum, including drone communications.

Ukrainian Air Defense Strategy: Yak-52s vs. Shahed Drones

The Problem: Shahed Drone Overload

• Ukraine faces nightly attacks from hundreds of Shahed drones, overwhelming its missile defense capabilities.
• The cost of intercepting each drone with a missile is unsustainable.

The Solution: Low-Cost Interception with Yak-52 Aircraft

• Ukraine employs Yak-52 training planes, repurposed for drone interception.
• These planes are inexpensive (around €50,000) compared to the cost of a Shahed drone.
• Gunners on board use assault rifles to shoot down drones at close range (150-200 meters).
• "Sidhei," a gunner, claims to have downed three Shahed drones in 30 minutes.
• Five bullets were enough to down one Shahed drone.

Tactics and Challenges

• Crews rely on ground information and visual spotting to locate drones.
• Planes operate only from dawn to dusk and are limited by weather conditions.
• Newer Russian drones are equipped with cameras to detect intercepting aircraft.
• Pilots must perform evasive maneuvers to avoid detection and attack.
• The mental strain of ensuring successful interception is significant.

Effectiveness and Risk

• Despite the risks, Yak-52s have proven effective in downing Shahed drones.
• The planes can operate from makeshift airfields, increasing their survivability.
• The strategy is considered effective as long as it grants Ukraine a defensive edge.

The Broader Context of Modern Warfare

Asymmetric Warfare and Resourcefulness

• Ukraine's use of Yak-52s exemplifies asymmetric warfare, leveraging low-cost solutions against a technologically advanced enemy.
• The conflict highlights the importance of resourcefulness and innovation in adapting existing technologies to new challenges.
• Examples include using scissors to cut fiber optic cables of first-person drones, using fishing nets to cover command and controller communications posts to keep a munition from dropping on it, covering tanks and cages.

The Defense-Offense Dialectic

• The war in Ukraine demonstrates the constant back-and-forth between offensive and defensive capabilities.
• As one side develops new tactics or technologies, the other side quickly adapts and counters.
• This dynamic drives rapid innovation and adaptation on both sides.

The Role of Drones in Modern Warfare

• Drones are changing the character of warfare, but traditional platforms like tanks and artillery remain relevant.
• The most effective units are those that can integrate drones with traditional military assets.
• Drones are not necessarily making warfare more affordable, as the cost of life remains high and comprehensive defense requires a mix of old and new technologies.

Mobilization of State Resources

• Modern warfare requires the mobilization of all state resources, both old and new.
• Ukraine's use of Yak-52s alongside advanced Western-supplied systems illustrates this principle.
• Russia's deployment of older tank and artillery variants in response to Ukrainian drone attacks further exemplifies this trend.

Key Quotes

• "We get within about 150 to 200 m of the shaheds. If you hit them too close, the blast wave will get you. If you're a bit further away, say 500 m, you can go for where the explosives are. It's usually best to shoot at the engine." - Sidhei, Ukrainian gunner.
• "If I wanted to boast, I could tell you that one of our teams recently downed a Shahid with just five bullets. Five bullets and it was gone." - Terras, Ukrainian unit commander.
• "Sometimes it's about being resourceful with old resources and surprise combinations." - Carrie Chavez, international security expert.
• "Nonetheless, the cost of life is never affordable." - Carrie Chavez, international security expert.

Conclusion

The use of Yak-52 aircraft to intercept Shahed drones represents a resourceful and cost-effective solution to a critical challenge in the Ukraine war. This strategy highlights the importance of asymmetric warfare, innovation, and the mobilization of all available resources in modern conflict. While drones are playing an increasingly significant role, traditional military platforms remain relevant, and the most effective forces are those that can integrate old and new technologies in a comprehensive approach. The ongoing defense-offense dialectic ensures that both sides will continue to adapt and innovate, driving rapid technological advancements and tactical adjustments throughout the conflict.