Drones are changing the face of warfare. Ukraine sets a new battlefield standard.

Just a year ago, the Ukrainian General Staff reported that there were about 1,500 drone attacks per day. Today, we are talking about 2,500–3,000. Drones have taken over the modern battlefield, said Mariusz Cielma, editor-in-chief of "Nowa Technika Wojskowa".

"Experts have long been saying that the battlefield will become robotic, meaning that drones will appear on a large scale, including aerial drones, land robots, floating objects, and even underwater ones. This was noticeable, it was signaled, but an impulse for the development of these technologies was needed - an armed conflict. No matter how negatively we look at the conflict itself, it is always the driving force behind various technologies," Cielma said.

This was the case in the past – World War II and the incredible development of military technologies, which later also translated into civilian life. In the case of the Russian-Ukrainian war, we are also observing such an evolution. Going back to 2014, both sides entered this conflict with a modest number of drones. Ukraine had practically none, and Russia used Israeli technology, produced under its own name. Only later did purchases of larger systems begin, but the real revolution took place after 2022," the expert noted.

"The breakthrough we are seeing today is not only related to large drones, such as Bayraktars, but also to the mass use of small, often civilian drones. These systems have been modified and have undergone significant evolution over the past two years. Today, they are used on a massive scale, tens of thousands of units per day, by both sides of the conflict. Ukrainians use large drones mainly for so-called deep strikes, i.e. attacks deep into Russian territory, on industrial and military targets. Operation Spiderweb, although high-profile, was not based on groundbreaking technology, but on synchronization and ingenuity of actions. The technology itself - small drones - is common, but it is the way they are used that makes the difference. Such availability has changed the way war is fought," said the editor-in-chief of "Nowa Technika Wojskowa".

"From the perspective of a frontline soldier, drones have become a key tool on the battlefield. The front has stabilized and the static nature of this conflict has made reconnaissance and precision strikes increasingly important. Just a year ago, the Ukrainian General Staff reported that there were about 1,500 drone attacks per day - today it is already 2,500-3,000. Just a year and a half ago, drones were responsible for about 1/3 of strikes - today it is already 50 percent or even more. Drones carry not only grenades, but also larger payloads. Their range and flight time have been increased thanks to more powerful batteries. There are also drones that are resistant to interference, e.g. those controlled by optical fiber. The dominance of these tools cannot be overestimated today - they are used both for observation and attack," the expert noted.

"The technology of countering drones is also evolving. At first, simple frequency jammers were enough, because drones operated on known bands. Later, modifications appeared that made jamming more difficult. Today we already have broadband jammers, but they are also less and less effective, because drones are controlled by optical fiber. These systems do not emit radio waves, so they cannot be jammed. Although they have their limitations, e.g. difficulty operating in the forest, they are irreplaceable in open terrain. We are also observing the popularization of fire means - rifles, smoothbore shotguns, which create a swarm of shrapnel. Soldiers protect even expensive anti-aircraft systems using these simple means. The saturation of the battlefield with both drones and methods of combating them is very high today," added Cielma.

"With the mass use of drones on the front, armies of countries not directly involved in the conflict began to look at these solutions. Initially, they reacted passively, securing their equipment with additional shields - nets and armor against kamikaze drones. But today they are going a step further. The Bundeswehr is testing new protective solutions for vehicles. The first units using small FPV drones, i.e. those that the operator controls as if looking through the eyes of a drone, have begun to be formed in the USA. Drones are used not only for reconnaissance, but also for transporting small supplies - water, ammunition, medicines. We can say that the trend initiated in Ukraine is becoming a standard in modern armies. This technology forces new ways of thinking about the structure of units and their equipment," the expert concluded.

Wojciech Łobodziński (PAP)

wal/ lm/