Ukrainians build low-tech defense against Russian drones | DW News

Ukraine Drone Warfare: Nets as a Countermeasure

Key Concepts:

• Drones (FPV drones, commercial quadcopters, light UAVs)
• Jamming resistance (cable-controlled drones)
• Nets (fishing nets, construction nets)
• Swarm tactics
• Tunnel of life
• Dual-use technologies
• Artificial intelligence (AI) in drones
• Kinetic solutions (surface-to-air missiles, air defense guns, nets)

Drone Warfare in Ukraine: A Battlefield Revolution

The conflict in Ukraine has seen a revolution in battlefield tactics due to the widespread use of drones. These drones are cheap, precise, and readily available. Newer drones are increasingly immune to jamming due to their connection to operators via ultra-thin cables.

The Netting Solution: A Low-Tech Countermeasure

Local authorities in Ukraine have started using nets as a simple countermeasure against drones. These nets are intended to slow down or disrupt drones, preventing them from hitting their targets.

• "Tunnel of Life": Soldiers refer to the net-covered roads as the "tunnel of life."
• Hodgepodge of Nets: The nets are sourced from various places, including construction sites, farmers, and even fishers from Holland.
• Effectiveness: While nets won't stop heavy drones, they can slow them down, reducing the likelihood of a successful strike.
• Invisibility: Fishing nets are virtually invisible to drone cameras.

Real-World Application: Orikhiv

In Orikhiv, a town near the front lines, residents are using nets to cover as much of the town as possible. The town's children have been evacuated, and only a few hundred of the original 14,000 inhabitants remain.

Unintended Consequences: Environmental Impact

The use of nets has had an unintended consequence: songbirds, owls, and stag beetles are getting caught in the mesh of the fishing nets.

Impact on Civilian Life

The threat of drone strikes has significantly impacted civilian life in the region.

• Roads along the front lines are often closed to civilian traffic.
• People avoid using cars and gathering outside.
• Farmers face the danger of drone strikes while harvesting crops.
• A combine harvester was destroyed by a drone strike, seriously injuring the driver.

Expert Analysis: Samuel Bendett

Samuel Bendett from the Center for a New American Security provides expert analysis on the use of nets and the broader drone warfare landscape.

• Russian Adaptation: Russia is also using nets to protect their routes and locations.
• Limitations: Nets are not a 100% solution, as Russians can attack with multiple drones, with one drone punching a hole for others to follow.
• Maintenance: Maintaining the nets is a human-intensive effort, requiring constant checks and repairs.
• Organic Development: The widespread use of commercial drones was an organic development in 2022 due to the Russian military's lack of tactical means to fight and observe the enemy at close range.
• Global Adoption: Similar tactics and technologies are being applied in conflicts in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
• AI Integration: Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used in drones for target lock and image recognition.

Expert Analysis: Zachary Kallenborn

Zachary Kallenborn from the Center for Strategic and International Studies discusses the effectiveness and limitations of netting systems.

• Passive Defense: Nets provide a potentially useful passive defense, particularly in war zones.
• Practicality: Setting up nets in a battlefield environment can be challenging.
• Enhancements: Netting systems could be enhanced with stronger materials or net guns.
• No Silver Bullet: There is no single solution to defeating drones; the best approach depends on the size of the drone, the environment, and other factors.
• Kinetic Solutions: Cable-controlled drones, which are resistant to jamming, require kinetic solutions such as surface-to-air missiles, air defense guns, and nets.

Conclusion

The use of nets as a countermeasure against drones in Ukraine highlights the innovative and adaptive nature of modern warfare. While nets are not a perfect solution, they provide a low-cost and effective way to mitigate the threat of drone strikes. The conflict in Ukraine is also driving the development and adoption of new technologies, such as AI-powered drones, which will likely have a significant impact on future conflicts.