News

2022-06-01

Modern Battlefield a Drone-prone Zone

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), also known as drones, have been developed over a century for military missions considered ‘dull, dirty or dangerous’ (3Ds) for humans. Border surveillance or data collection 24/7, supplies to stranded crew in hostile environments or casualty-inflicting situations -- all fit into the 3Ds scenario.

The transformative potential of advanced technologies, powered robustly by artificial intelligence (AI), has now turned drones into a primary and unavoidable asset for militaries, making the modern battlefield a drone-prone zone.

The Ukraine – Russia conflict has highlighted the supreme power of drones. Since the conflict started in February, drones of all sizes and shapes are being used by both sides.

Though drones have been used in previous wars like in Syria, Yemen and Afghanistan, the number of drones – both military and commercial - playing a part in the current conflict is unprecedented. Both Ukraine and Russia are using drones for surveillance, data collection and for attack.

What is unparalleled is also the number of commercial drones used by untrained civilians to support Ukrainian army. Civilians and journalists are flying drones in Ukraine to collect data and intelligence and sharing with army and uploading it on social media.

Here’s a peek at a few of the drones used by both sides in the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

Travel-size Switchblade

The Switchblade is known as a backpack drone because of its convenient travel-size when folded. AeroVironment’s Switchblade 300 provides conventional and special operations forces with a backpackable, rapidly deployable, loitering precision strike missile for use against beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) targets from mobile positions in the field or from fixed defensive positions for base security. This lethal missile can be operated manually or autonomously, and its small size and quiet motor make it difficult to detect, recognise, and track even at very close range.

Switchblade 300 provides the operator with real-time video and Cursor-on-Target GPS coordinates for information gathering, targeting, or feature/object recognition. It is fully scalable and can be launched from a variety of air, sea, and ground platforms. The optional Switchblade 300 Sensor to Shooter (S2S) Kit allows operators to quickly update FalconView on a ruggedised laptop. Once updated, the S2S software seamlessly transfers target coordinates from AeroVironment’s Puma, Raven or Wasp to Switchblade 300, reducing engagement timelines and operator cognitive load.

AeroVironment’s Multipack Launcher (MPL) is an all-weather remotely operated autonomous launch battery for standard Switchblade 300 loitering missile and Blackwing loitering reconnaissance systems. The MPL with six round capacity can also be vehicle or ship board mounted for mobile operations.

TB2 Armed TUAV

Ukraine is using Turkish Bayraktar TB2 armed drones, provided under a deal signed last year. Operated by a crew on land, these are remote-controlled planes armed with rockets or missiles.

Bayraktar TB2 is a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE), Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (TUAV) capable of conducting Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and armed attack missions. Bayraktar TB2 has a highly sophisticated design that provides all solutions that operator may need in one integrated system. The system consists of Bayraktar TB2 Armed / UAV Platform, Ground Control Station, Ground Data Terminal, Remote Display Terminal, Advanced Base with Generator and Trailer modules.

An onboard avionic suite with a triple redundant avionic system encompasses units enabling a fully autonomous taxiing, take-off, landing and cruise. TB2 has proven its efficacy with over 400.000 of operational flight hours. Since 2014, it keeps carrying out missions successfully within the Turkish Armed Forces, Gendarmerie and the Turkish National Police. Currently, 257 Bayraktar platforms are at the service of Turkey, Qatar, Ukraine and Azerbaijan.

Bayraktar TB2 holds the record in the Turkish aviation history for endurance (with 27 hours 3 minutes) and for altitude (with 25.030 feet). Bayraktar TB2 is also the first-ever Turkish aircraft in its category to be exported abroad.

Bayraktar Akinci

Baykar exported the first model of its latest drone, the Bayraktar Akıncı unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) to Ukraine.

With its unique fuselage and wing design Bayraktar Akinci is a strategic class platform which can carry various payloads. Bayraktar Akinci is equipped with dual AI avionics which supports for signal processing, sensor fusion and situational awareness in real time.

Bayraktar Akinci is capable of conducting operations that are performed with fighter jets. It carries electronic support systems, dual satellite communication systems, air-to-air radar, collision avoidance radar and synthetic aperture radar and can be used in air-to-ground and air-to-air attack missions as well.

With its triple redundant electronics hardware and software systems Bayraktar Akinci is capable of carrying payloads like Mini Smart Munition MAM-L, Mini Smart Munition MAM – C, Cirit Missile, L-UMTAS Missile, Mini Smart Munition Bozok, MK-81, MK-82, MK-83 Guided Bombs (JDAM), Wing Assisted Guided Bomb MK-82, Air-to-Air Missile Gokdogan and Bozdogan, and Stand-Off Missile SOM-A.

AeroVironment’s Quantix Recon

AeroVironment has donated to Ukraine more than 100 Quantix drones, reconnaissance models that take off vertically like a quadcopter but level off and fly faster with a fixed-wing design to survey for up to 45 minutes per battery charge.

The Quantix Recon UAS is a lightweight, easily deployable, fully automated reconnaissance solution that provides on-demand actionable intelligence using high-resolution, georeferenced terrain, vegetation and infrastructure imagery.

With its hybrid vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) design, Quantix Recon combines the VTOL advantages of a multirotor drone with the range, speed and efficiency of a fixed-wing unmanned aircraft. Featuring fully automated flight operation, the UAS can survey up to 1.6 square kilometres (0.6 square miles), or 20 linear kilometres (12.4 miles), per 45-minute single battery flight.

Phoenix Ghost - Flying Scout

A new U.S. drone that acts as a “flying scout” before destroying tanks has been supplied to Ukraine for use on the battlefield. The Phoenix Ghost is a “loitering munition”, similar to the U.S. Switchblade drone, and is lightweight and portable.

The aircraft are manufactured by relative newcomer Aevex Aerospace (established in 2017). These UASs are essentially one-way ‘kamikaze’ type over-battlefield solutions designed to seek out, track, and engage enemy targets to neutralise their value.

The Phoenix Ghost is detailed with a Vertical Take-Off (VTO) capability, allowing its launching from nearly anywhere infantrymen find themselves. Its mission endurance window is said to be around six hours - giving this UAS excellent endurance over contested battlespaces as its searches / tracks for ground targets before committing its lethal payload against it (the entire unit is used up in the attack).

The integrated optics set allows for day-night operation, the latter aided by an in-built InfraRed (IR) capability.

Potential targets include up to medium-armoured vehicles, critical Command and Control (C2) establishments, artillery positions, and troop encampments.

Vector 2in1 System UAV

The Ukrainian armed forces use a surveillance drone from the German company Quantum Systems. The German “Vector” drone is not a weapon as such — it cannot drop bombs but it can form part of a weapons system. It is said to be best used for its flight and video capabilities. Vector delivers high-resolution real-time video over 15 kilometres and can remain airborne for up to two hours.

The mathematical definition of a vector fits very well for the latest UAV from Quantum-Systems. It can face any direction: upward, forward or down. That’s exactly what Vector from Quantum-Systems is capable to do. Vertical take-off, energy efficient long range fixed wing flight and back to a vertical landing - All automatic, no pilot or operator input needed – Just fly.

The ability to operate in the most difficult terrain combined with extremely low noise emission (motor off silent mode) makes the Vector the perfect UAV for a range of non-invasive aerial operations.

An encrypted mesh IP link sends video streams up to a range of 15+ km. A flight time of up to 120 minutes speaks for itself. All combined in a compact electric VTOL UAV.

The 2in1 System design opens up applications with the “Scorpion” configuration – by removing the wings and attaching a separate set of copter arms a dedicated multi copter platform becomes available for a wider variety of mission applications. Either use a VTOL fixed-wing or a conventional copter – in both cases you only need one system to train on and to deploy it on site.

Ukraine’s Leleka-100

Ukraine uses local drones as well. The most common Ukrainian drone is the Leleka-100, which weighs about five kilogrammes and is produced by Deviro, a company in Dnipro.

Leleka-100 drone is the most widely used multipurpose UAV in Ukraine, 46 per cent of all combat missions were conducted by this UAV. The Leleka-100 is a fixed-wing UAV with wide wings and a V-tail configuration. It is made of Kevlar and glass and carbon fibre materials. The drone and its components are carried in light and impact-resistant plastic cases. Its compact dimensions and lightweight structure allow for transportation in a van or a SUV.

The weatherproof drone can perform missions day and night. The UAS comes with a special anti-electronic warfare system that enables the recognition of intentional interference environments and automatic switching to the inertial mode. The UAS has a length of 1.13m, a height of 0.35m, and a wingspan of 1.98m. Its maximum take-off weight (MTOW) is 5.5kg. The unmanned aircraft uses bungee start and belly landing/parachute to take off and land, respectively.

The modular design of the drone allows for the integration of multiple payloads, which can be rapidly replaced as per the user requirements. Its gyro-stabilised dual-axis camera gimbals are remotely controlled according to the flight directions.

DJI’s Mavic 3

Ukraine is also using commercially available drones. The most widely used ones are Chinese company DJI’s drones. Ukrainian forces use DJI’s Mavic 3.

Mavic 3 uses its professional imaging performance to record aerial videos at high resolutions and frame rates. Its camera captures up to one billion colours thanks to a 10-bit D-Log colour profile, offering natural colour gradations and advanced flexibility in post-production.

Mavic 3 Cine supports Apple ProRes 422 HQ encoding with a maximum data rate of 3,772 Mbps. It supports a built-in 1TB SSD and 10Gbps lightspeed data cable to further facilitate professional filming, editing, and creation.

MAVIC 3 can capture legendary content with a 4/3 CMOS Swedish camera brand Hasselblad camera.

Hasselblad has customised the L2D-20c aerial camera for DJI Mavic 3, embedding a professional-grade 4/3 CMOS in a sleek and compact form. Mavic 3 features the Hasselblad Natural Colour Solution (HNCS), which is the result of decades of photographic experience. This ensures natural colours that look spectacular even without presets or editing in post.

Draganfly Medical Response

Drone solutions and systems developer Draganfly Inc. has announced that it will provide Revived Soldiers Ukraine (RSU) with five highly specialised Medical Response Drones using funds provided by DroneAid: Ukraine.

Draganfly’s specialised drone systems enable crews on the ground to access hotspots and provide humanitarian aid. UAVs help crews reduce response times, improve situational awareness and increase overall efficiency.

Draganfly Medical Response Drone is able to provide first responders with visual oversight of a scene and ensures the timely delivery of temperature-sensitive medical supplies including blood, vaccines and test samples to dangerous or hard-to-reach areas.

‘Flying Cell Phone’

BRINC Drones, maker of the U.S.-manufactured Lemur-S, has donated 10 drones to Ukraine.

LEMUR S comes equipped with a powerful two-way communication system. The drone is termed by the company officials as a flying cell phone. With nearly a half-day perch time, the drone can be operationally while Idle with fully-functional audio and video.

Lemur S has fully enclosed props (enabling the drone to bounce off walls and to push open doors), carbon fibre reinforced nylon PA6 drone body/ducts, CNC machined carbon-fibre motor arms/duct frame. It is designed to operate in wet and rainy conditions without issue (conforming to IP 24 guidelines based on internal testing).

The Lemur S can carry a wide variety of payloads. From hazmat operations to search and rescue missions the Lemur S can be equipped to serve in many situations. Encrypted, near-zero latency, high material penetration wireless video transmission system with a line of sight transmission range in excess of 8mi (13km) and multi-receiver capability makes it an alley of armed forces. The Lemur S’s battery technology is based on a Lithium-ion chemistry and allows for a best in class flight time.

Fewer Russian Drones

The Russian military seems to rely less on drones, but does use them. Its main drone is the Orlan-10, a small reconnaissance and surveillance UAV made at the Center for Special Technology in St. Petersburg. Russia deployed several Orlan-10 and Forpost drones.

Multi-purpose Orlan-10

Orlan-10 is a medium-range, multi-purpose UAV developed by Russian firm Special Technology Center LLC in St Petersburg. It is intended for a variety of missions including aerial reconnaissance, observation, monitoring, search and rescue, combat training, jamming, detection of radio signals, and target tracking in hard-to-reach terrains.

The UAV features modular design with high-wing configuration, while its tail section comprises a tailplane and a vertical stabiliser. It has a wing span of 3.1m and its aerodynamic fuselage is 2m-long. The empty weight and maximum take-off weights of the UAV are 12.5kg and 16.5kg respectively.

The drone is launched using a collapsible catapult and recovered using parachute landing system.

The UAV’s modular design is provided with several interchangeable payloads allowing for greater mission flexibility. It carries a day-light camera, a thermal imaging camera, a video camera and a radio transmitter in a gyro-stabilised camera pod that is fitted under the fuselage. The cameras provide real-time intelligence, 3D maps, surveillance, and aerial reconnaissance of ground-based targets.

The imagery, video and other sensor data collected by the payloads is transmitted to the ground control station in real-time, through data link using 3G/4G cellular networks.

Forpost UCAV

Russian forces in Ukraine have been seen fielding the Forpost-R unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV).

The Forpost R is an UAV derived from the Israeli Hunter UAV with all components made in Russia. The primary objective of the Forpost R is to conduct reconnaissance missions on behalf of the Russian Armed Forces and to relay the target location in real time for its destruction.

The overall performance has been improved in comparison with the original Hunter/Forpost UAV. The 500 kg air vehicle incorporates improved radar identification equipment among other reconnaissance devices. The range was increased by 60 miles and can stay airborne for up to 18 hours with a ceiling of 20,000-ft.

During the Army-2021 defence exhibition held in Kubinka, Russia, in August 2021, a Forpost-R was on display, armed with two 9M133-family anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) of the 9K135 Kornet system. In September, during the strategic level quadrennial Zapad-2021 exercise, a Forpost-R armed with two KAB-20-family guided bombs, one under each wing, was observed in use.

The attack iteration of Forpost-R can also be armed with various free-fall general-purpose ‘dumb’ bombs. The UAV is reportedly able to carry a maximum payload of 120 kg.

Drone Domination

There are clear indications that future warfare will be defined to a much larger extent by networking capability and autonomous systems assisting people in accomplishing missions.

The growing focus on loitering munitions will only add to the real-time evolution of a battlespace as we know it today, a battlespace once dominated by air superiority, Electronic Warfare (EW), heavily-armoured Main Battle Tanks (MBT), and reliance on ranged artillery.

Increased application of innovations such as swarming drones is expected to further alter beyond recognition the face of the battlefield.

AI-powered drones are undoubtedly creating a new concept of power.

Reference Text/Photo:www.tass.ru, www.avinc.com, www.dji.com, www.dragonfly.com ,www.quantum-systems.com

Comments () Views (1823 ) Print

Send To Friend