Tanks may not be obsolete yet, but they are certainly facing new challenges. What we are seeing now may be repeated on many more battlefields across the world in years to come. Recent videos seem to show more daytime attacks, which may reflect growing confidence. As the war goes on and the Ukrainians refine their tactics, techniques and munitions, the drones are only likely to become more effective. The unit loses drones on a daily basis, but they keep replacing them - and keep asking for donations to build more.
Russian radio jamming, usually the best defence against small drones, has failed to stop them so far. Comparable commercial drones can operate at 8 km or more depending on conditions, and the R18 is likely to use military-style communications with better range and more resistance to interference.Īerorozvidka claim their R18s have destroyed around a hundred Russian vehicles, far more than Ukraine's famed Bayraktar TB2. We do not know what the maximum range of the R18 is. Missile teams have to ‘shoot and scoot’ as the smoke and exhaust flame may be spotted. Unlike missiles, the drones can find and hit vehicles concealed behind ridges or buildings, and can be operated from behind cover several kilometers away with no risk of the target shooting back. While a Javelin operator requires a clear line-of-sight to the target, drone operators have more flexibility. The drones proved highly effective in night attacks but are now also use din daytime. As Aerorozvidka like to point out, like a Javelin their drones can take out the latest Russian T-90 tanks despite layers of reactive armor and active protection supposed to intercept incoming projectiles, or bolt-on ’cope cage’ armor.Ī graphic from Aerorozvidka with the Latin tag Non Dormies - 'You will not sleep' - depicting an R18. This makes the reusable drones more cost-effective than a Javelin missile at over $140,000 a shot. The munitions, from ancient stockpiles, are effectively free. And small drones, difficult to see by day, are invisible in the dark.Īerorozvidka say the R18s cost them some $20,000 each. The drones drop bombs from a height of a few hundred meters (altitude can be estimated from the time taken for a bomb to fall), so are likely to be inaudible if there are any vehicle engines running nearby.
Waters says that even if the crew are present they are unlikely to realize where the attack is coming from. Much better a hit with a small bomb than a miss with a bigger one, Waters observes.Īerorozvidka typically attacks at night, which may explain why the target vehicles rarely seem to take evasive action, as the crew may not be in the vehicle – though some videos show them fleeing during the attack. This gives the cheap, dumb bombs the sort of pinpoint accuracy that is normally only possible with expensive, laser-guided weapons.Īnalyst Nick Waters of Bellingcat, author of the definitive work on ISIS drone bombers, says this novel bomb-aiming technique from a hover allows the operator to correct for wind or other variables and gives a far higher chance of a hit. The first bomb may be off by a few meters, but tweaks allow the second or third to hit. Ukrainian videos show that after dropping the first bomb, the R18 operator waits to see where it lands before adjusting the position of the drone for the next attempt. Any penetrating hit on the crew compartment can trigger a catastrophic ammunition explosion, often throwing the turret some distance. Such attacks are highly effective because Russian tanks, unlike their NATO counterparts, do not store ammunition separately.
And anti-tank drone use seems to have spread from Aerorozvidka to other units: this drone attack was carried out by the 93rd Mechanized Brigade this one by the 503 rd Separate Marine Battalion. All are essentially light anti-armor weapons with shaped charges, rather than the fragmentation weapons dropped from smaller drones. Videos show that the RKG-1600 is not the only weapon in use – a variety of other munitions, apparently adapted from old RPG warheads or rifle grenades have been deployed.
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