Russia’s unjammable drones are now long-range, and Ukraine’s logistics are in danger
In a significant development in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Moscow has begun deploying long-range fiber-optic drones that pose a substantial threat to Ukrainian logistics. Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s first deputy prime minister and minister of digital transformation, revealed that these drones can operate at a remarkable range of 50 kilometers (31 miles), marking a notable advancement in drone warfare capabilities. This announcement serves as the first official acknowledgment from Kyiv regarding the use of such drones by Russian forces. The introduction of these jam-proof drones, which utilize fiber-optic cables to maintain a secure connection with their operators, represents a major shift in the battlefield dynamics, particularly as electronic warfare tactics have become more prevalent.
The operational effectiveness of fiber-optic drones lies in their resistance to jamming, a common tactic employed in modern warfare. Unlike traditional drones that rely on radio frequency links, which can be easily disrupted, these fiber-optic variants maintain a steady link through long, thin cables. This technology not only enhances their operational range but also makes them a formidable challenge for Ukrainian forces, who have resorted to protective measures such as netting to shield critical supply routes from drone strikes. Fedorov highlighted the implications of this new threat, noting that the drones have already demonstrated their potential to disrupt logistics and personnel movements on the front lines, particularly in the contested Donetsk region.
Despite their advantages, these fiber-optic drones are not without limitations. Fedorov described them as “sluggish,” due to the cumbersome nature of the cable spools they carry, which can hinder maneuverability and make them susceptible to environmental challenges. While the introduction of these drones is a game changer, Ukraine is actively developing countermeasures, including hit-to-kill interceptors and ambush tactics aimed at severing the cables that tether the drones to their operators. As the conflict evolves, both Russia and Ukraine are investing heavily in drone technology, signaling a future where autonomous drones, capable of independent navigation and decision-making through artificial intelligence, may play a pivotal role in warfare. This ongoing arms race underscores the critical importance of innovation in modern military strategy, as both sides strive to outpace each other in the realm of aerial combat.
Russia has introduced long-range fiber-optic drones to the battlefield, a top Ukrainian official said.
Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images
Russia has started using fiber-optic drones with a 50-kilometer reach, a Ukrainian official said.
The drones, which are resistant to electronic warfare, are a threat to Ukrainian logistics.
The ambitious range appears to be farther than most known fiber-optic drone variants can travel.
Russia has begun using long-range, jam-proof drones controlled by fiber-optic cables to threaten Ukraine’s logistics, a senior government official told Business Insider.
Mykhailo Fedorov, the first deputy prime minister of Ukraine and its minister of digital transformation, said that Russia is now fielding
fiber-optic drones
with a range of 50 kilometers (31 miles), which appears to be the first official confirmation from Kyiv that Moscow is using these weapons in combat.
That 50-kilometer range exceeds what most known fiber-optic drones can achieve on the battlefield.
Fedorov, speaking through a translator, said in an interview this week that the development “really impacts our logistics.” He added that Ukraine is developing technology to counter fiber-optic drones and is testing these concepts with several brigades.
First-person-view
(FPV) drone pilots once flew using only radio frequency links. Now, electronic warfare dominates, and signals are being jammed across the battlefield.
Fiber-optic drones use spools of long, thin cables that maintain a steady link with the pilot, making them effectively immune to
electronic warfare tactics
— and, thus, more dangerous in combat.
Fiber-optic drones are connected to their operators by spools of long, thin cables.
Maxym Marusenko/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Typically, the best chance that a soldier has to intercept a fiber-optic FPV drone is by shooting it down
with a shotgun
. But the kill requires awareness, a quick reaction, precision, and a lot of luck.
“Fiber-optic drones have shown us that drones immune to electronic warfare are, indeed, a very considerable threat to logistics and personnel,” Fedorov said.
In some sectors of the front line, drones have become such a threat to critical supply routes that Ukrainian soldiers have
covered them with netting
to protect vehicles from incoming strikes.
Dangerous but ‘sluggish’
Fiber-optic drones typically have short ranges, limited by the cables that can become
entangled in the environment
. The range is often anywhere between 10 and 25 kilometers (roughly 6 and 15 miles), but both Russian and Ukrainian defense industries have been
pushing to extend
their respective reaches.
Conflict analysts at the Institute for the Study of War, a US think tank, wrote in a battlefield
assessment
last month that Russian developers had reportedly introduced fiber-optic FPV drones with a 50-kilometer range, although the details were unconfirmed.
Fedorov said he first heard about Russia’s 50-kilometer-range fiber-optic drone several weeks ago, with isolated cases mostly emerging out of eastern Ukraine’s
embattled Donetsk region
.
He said that this drone is not used often because it is relatively difficult to operate; “it’s prone to wind, it’s heavy, and then there are physical obstacles that it needs to cross.”
Fiber-optic drones are immune to electronic warfare tactics.
Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images
The spool of fiber-optic cable that the drone carries is also quite large, making it rather “sluggish,” Fedorov said. “So, although it’s not simple to do, they are doing it — including in Pokrovsk,” the
war-torn city
in the Donetsk region that has become the center of some of the most intense and brutal fighting of the war.
Drone experts have said that fiber-optic drones with ranges beyond 40 kilometers (25 miles) are possible, but
there are definitely challenges
.
Beyond the risk of environmental tangling, the weight of the spool can force developers to reduce the warhead size. And if drone makers build larger frames to support extra weight, the end result is potentially something less nimble in combat.
Russia’s deployment of longer-range fiber-optic drones underscores how the war continues to serve as a testing ground for
new defense technology
— specifically, drone innovation — as both sides attempt to
stay one step ahead
of the enemy.
Fedorov said that Ukraine is adapting to the threat of fiber-optic drones — which he said have been a “game changer” — by developing
hit-to-kill interceptors
, staging ambushes, and even trying to sever the cables that keep the aircraft in flight.
“We are looking for a counter-adaptation, and that will push the battlefield probably more toward autonomous drones, which we expect and anticipate to be the next stage in this war,” he said.
Autonomous drones don’t necessarily require pilots, instead relying on
artificial intelligence
for navigation and decision-making. In an effort to stay ahead in the ongoing arms race with Russia, Ukraine is heavily investing in the development of this technology.
Read the original article on
Business Insider
Eric
Eric is a seasoned journalist covering Business news.
