“Budget Drones Prove Their Value in a Billion-Dollar War”
“A fleet of inexpensive, mostly off-the-shelf drones is helping Ukrainian forces evade and target sophisticated Russian air defense systems.”
“They are made of plastic or plastic foam, weigh only a few pounds and are often launched simply by having a soldier throw them into the air, as if tossing a javelin.
In a slow-moving counteroffensive against Russian forces that has been reliant at times on the smallest advantages, a fleet of cheap, mostly off-the-shelf drones is providing one for the Ukrainians.
The drones have begun to make a difference in one corner of a stagnant war, soldiers, commanders and pilots said in interviews, because their different materials and variable frequencies can evade enemy jamming systems. That has allowed them to venture farther in searches for enemy artillery positions and multimillion-dollar air defense systems, all while risking aircraft worth only a few thousand dollars apiece.”
“A year and a half later, Metinvest has supplied more than 250 decoy weapons and pieces of equipment to Ukrainian troops across the frontline. A senior specialist, who also asked to remain nameless for security reasons, says they can now produce about 10 to 15 items per month.”
https://www.ft.com/content/b0581f55-a449-439c-a92f-1dfb1ca5a181?shareType=nongift
“Before and after of a Metinvest-made decoy P-18 radar deployed to the Ukrainian front that fooled Russian forces this month and saw them waste precious munition.”:
https://twitter.com/ChristopherJM/status/1705113015849193545