The War in Ukraine has been dominated by evolving tactics, with one of the newest emerging weapons being drones. These drones allow for an offensive that doesn’t put troops in jeopardy, but now Ukraine is developing an unlikely technique to counter them.
Russia’s drones house a lot of technology, and while cheaper to manufacture than many other weapons of war, they’re a lot more expensive when compared to the price of a fishing net. Ukrainian troops are taking fishing nets and creating a defensive perimeter. It might sound ridiculous on paper, but it is proving to be a surprisingly effective countermeasure.
Drones In Warfare
Drones are becoming one of the most prominent ways to launch attacks in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. They can fill a variety of roles, including reconnaissance, targeting, and accurately striking important locations.
According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Russia is leaning on these drones heavily, swarming Ukrainian airspace frequently to use up expensive defense missiles and overwhelm the country’s air force. Ukraine has been thinking of ways to counter them in a cost-effective way.
Fishing Nets
Ukraine’s military engineers have to work on ways to solve the problem of fighting off drones while not depleting such important resources. They noticed that dense fishing net, just like they traps fish, can tangle drones too.
Key locations like roads and trenches can be quickly set up with fishing nets in anticipation of a drone strike. No training is needed by personnel and the nets themselves are a fraction of the cost of both air defense missiles and the drones themselves.
How Do They Counter Drones?
The solution is one of simple ingenuity. The drones collide with the setup fishing net, and their propellers get entangled. This results in the drones either being caught like fish or losing air speed and hitting the ground hard. Both outcomes result in the drone failing in its assault, spelling victory for many.
Some drones are especially vulnerable to these nets, such as First-Person-View drones which often fly low in order to avoid detection by Ukrainian military scanners. If the payload still goes off, at least it’s not at its intended target.
The Cost
Ukraine is exhausting its defensive missiles due to the overwhelming amount of drones that Russia is sending to their borders, intent on targeting key military locations as well as residential buildings.
Just one interceptor missile can cost several hundred thousand dollars, and the drones that lead the attack might cost $20,000 to $50,000. Ukraine’s fishing nets, donated or repurposed from old commercial stock, are a fraction of the cost, typically $10 for basic netting.
Where The Nets Are Coming From
Ukraine is adapting many fishing nets sourced from different places. This includes those donated by fishermen and old stockpiles. Many nets are being sewn together in cities far from the frontlines, and others are coming by mass via European ports.
Tons of netting have been donated by both volunteer organizations and aid groups. According to YLE, also known as the Finnish Broadcasting Company, about €2.5 million worth of netting has been provided by Denmark.
Russia’s Drones
In some ways, basic fishing nets counter Russian drones in ways that other defense systems can’t. With new innovations, the drones have fiber-optic cable, which makes jamming efforts redundant. Other drones can sneak past radar by being coated with carbon.
However, one consistent element of the drone remains – its propeller. With the net countering this aspect, Russia may have to advance this aspect as well.
Psychological Edge
The sheer effectiveness of the nets plays a psychological component in the war, as Ukrainian troops thwart the drones with cheap, primitive tools against superior technology.
This serves to boost the morale of Ukraine, while possibly frustrating Russian operators who expect their technology not to be beaten by such a simple and cost-effective means.
Limitations
While fishing nets have proved to be a powerful tool to combat drones in some scenarios, they can’t protect from everything. Some drone models are more vulnerable to the nets than others, and they work best when strung up in static positions.
Unfortunately, high-flying drones simply move above the nets. Ukraine is working on these issues, and looking to adapt even more effective technology out of this.
The Cycle Of Warfare
Many surprising technologies have emerged out of war historically, and the War in Ukraine is no different.
Desperation often breeds innovation, and Ukraine turning to such a primitive tool to combat Russia’s drones showcases this perfectly. It’s not necessarily about how cutting edge your technology is, but about human ingenuity.
