Last week, the White House released information that Russia’s war against Ukraine is beginning to take another turn, and that Russians are feeling the weight of one of the most basic military equipment in modern warfare: surveillance drones, armed or not.
The reasons for the shortage of drones are connected, in particular, with the excessive use of the Russians, who did not expect such a long war, and the efficiency of the large number of rockets mounted on American trucks, which destroyed air defense sites and command posts. two US officials.
Basic drones throughout the war
Russia has already lost dozens of reconnaissance aircraft to the Ukrainian air defense, but the use of the aircraft was crucial for rapid strikes and transmission of coordinates to long-range weapons such as howitzers and mortars.
In combat, the main Russian unmanned aerial vehicles are of the Orlan-10 type, which are often used to conduct reconnaissance operations in the Donbass region (east of Ukraine). It is an aircraft marketed for use in a wide variety of fields for military use as well as civilian use: construction work, patrolling hard-to-reach areas, firefighting systems and in emergencies.
According to Ukrainian security forces, the Russians used the Orlan-10 by parking the aircraft in trees or other cover and hiding pieces of artillery to avoid detection by aerial surveillance.
When an Orlan-10 approaches a target, it pinpoints the location so the military can use artillery to deliver a clear shot from afar.
Iran as an ally in drone war
According to the White House, with a significant loss of drones at the moment, Russia wants to resupply from Iran for long-term supply purposes. In total, US officials said Iran is preparing to procure up to 300 remote-controlled aircraft and will begin training Russian troops on how to use them earlier this month.
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said a Russian delegation had visited an airport in central Iran at least twice in the past five weeks to examine drones that could be turned into weapons.
Iran a force in the development of unmanned aerial vehicles
Iran has been specializing in building various types of drones for decades and has been negotiating with other countries in their own wars. The country provided Hezbollah with drone technology in Lebanon; to the rebels attacking Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in Yemen; In addition to the Shiite militias in Iraq, which carried out attacks against Iraqi and American troops.
The history of the first drone developed by the Iranians dates back to the early 1980s and currently the Iranians compete in the drone market with the USA, Israel, China, France, Canada and the UK concentrating the main manufacturers of unmanned equipment for use. military.
The most advanced drones in Iran and coveted by the Russians are the ‘Shahed’ models manufactured by Iran’s state-owned Shahed Aviation Industries. The Shahed-149 Gaza model (referring to the Palestinian struggle in the Gaza Strip) is the most advanced model and has been in service since April of this year. The UAV is designed for reconnaissance and ranged attack missions and resembles American drones.
industry
According to an estimate by Acute Market Reports, the drone industry should move around US$9.62 billion this year and the market should grow by around 6.6% annually through 2025.
The US and Israel are at the forefront in the development of this technology, but all countries with military operations are improving in the use of drones, including Brazil. As for the global market for aircraft, China is the largest exporter to all countries, including military models.
In its arsenal, “Zhuhaiyun” was presented by the Chinese at the end of May as the first drone carrier. The ship must carry a large number of air, sea and submarine aircraft.
Chen Dake, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, described it to China Daily as a “revolutionary innovation” that shows the interest and enthusiasm for the development of technologies that drive and enhance drones.
source: Noticias
[author_name]
