Rebels strike Aleppo: Ukrainian drone tactics shake Assad's regime
On November 27, 2024, a rebel offensive against Bashar al-Assad's regime forces began in the Aleppo region of Syria. The key to this offensive is the technology and tactics well known from Ukraine. We present what the rebels are using.
2:36 PM EST, November 28, 2024
After years of relative calm in Syria, there has been a significant rebel offensive in the vicinity of Aleppo, which seems to have caught Bashar al-Assad's regime by surprise. The latest reports indicate that the rebels of the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group have already reached the western suburbs of Aleppo.
It's worth noting that some Syrian government forces have withdrawn from certain regions, and numerous photos have emerged of abandoned or captured equipment, such as BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles and T-72 tanks. It seems that the rebels' success is largely due to their use of FPV drones to attack armored equipment.
Furthermore, there is evidence of simple drones carrying warheads weighing up to 220 pounds, which have been launched towards Syrian government bases or strongholds.
FPV drones — a cost-effective and efficient equivalent of long-range anti-tank guided missiles
The era of FPV drones in armed conflicts was popularized by Ukraine, where they proved to be an incredibly effective weapon during the early phases of their use. Over time, however, the Russians deployed large-scale signal jammers, leading to an ongoing frequency battle between drone operators and the creators of jammers.
Currently, Syrian rebels do not face this issue, as they seem to have secured a significant number of drones and trained many pilots. A crucial aspect of these drones is their ability to make seemingly useless armaments effective and deliver them with precision over distances of several hundred meters or a few miles.
Building such a drone doesn’t require much, as it only needs: a frame, electric motors with rotors, a battery, a camera, and a control system based on readily available components. Grenades such as the PG-7VL, able to penetrate up to 20 inches of armor, can then be attached to the drone.
Alternatives include weaker bomblets from cluster munitions, anti-tank hand grenades, PGN grenade attachments, or even modified hand grenades. For the detonator, Ukrainian drones often featured wires at the front, which would close the electric circuit upon impact, causing an explosion. Essentially, the possibilities are limited only by the creativity of the builders.
Such drones are ideal for destroying infantry fighting vehicles and even tanks, as Syrian government forces have a mix of T-72, T-62, and T-54/55 tanks (the current number is unknown). It's also noteworthy that Syria had dozens of T-90 tanks, but some of these vehicles might have been returned to Russia.
In recent years, they not only refused to export tanks and withdrew weapons stationed in Syria but also fighters. The use of FPV drones will likely lead to the mass outfitting of existing tanks with scrap metal, and "armored barns", known from the war in Ukraine, may also appear in Syria.
