Air systems The view from
t first glance, Andriy Pokrasa doesn’t really have the look of a national hero. A lanky teenager, he wears scruffy t-shirts and thick black glasses and spends his free time on a decidedly uncool hobby. But for a few days in February 2022, the 15 year old was transformed into one of his country’s most effective fighting forces. Working with his father, Pokrasa used his drone to spot invading Russian tanks, then passed their coordinates on to Ukrainian artillery units. Within minutes, the armour was reduced to charred husks. Pokrasa, for his part, proudly claims to have helped destroy over 20 enemy vehicles. Long the coming force in military circles, the conflict in Ukraine has finally proven just how effective drones can be. Just like Pokrasa and his father demonstrated, they’re increasingly useful in spotting
A
the ground
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has brought the importance of counter-drone technology to the fore, with the machines scoring victory after victory against underprepared ground forces. Andrea Valentino talks to Dr Cristian Coman, lead for counter-drone activities at the NCI Agency, and Riki Ellison, chairman and founder at the Missile Defence Advocacy Alliance, to learn about the latest developments in counter-drone technology, understand the key challenges they face – and appreciate that machinery alone will never be enough to keep the skies clear of enemy aircraft.
enemy positions, with the Kyiv government receiving $20m-worth of reconnaissance drones from friendly donors. That’s echoed by offensive capabilities too. From dropping bombs to shooting missiles, both Russia and Ukraine have used drones to wreak havoc on unsuspecting ground troops. It should come as no surprise, in short, that the international market for military drones is expected to surge over the coming years – rising to $17bn by 2027.
But if drones themselves are quickly finding a foothold in defence ministries the world over, anti-drone technology is battling to keep up.
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Defence & Security Systems International /
www.defence-and-security.com
Evgeny Simonov; Macrovector/
Shutterstock.com
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