Ukraine tests ground-breaking anti-jammer drones in conflict
In Ukraine, drones equipped with jammer detection systems are being tested, which could significantly influence the war's course. Here's what they are and how they work.
In Ukraine, both sides are testing state-of-the-art FPV drones equipped with radio-electronic emission detectors. Jammers make it very difficult, if not impossible, to currently use regular drones.
Electronic warfare systems create a bubble with a diameter of several dozen or several hundred yards, depending on power, within which the GPS or control signal used for communication between the drone and the pilot does not function.
Current ways drone operators deal with jammers
The widespread use of jammers capable of covering various frequency ranges has led to the most effective drones autonomously attacking a target designated by the pilot using, for example, artificial intelligence algorithms or fiber-optic-controlled drones.
Both solutions have drawbacks, as AI-based drones are more expensive and the accuracy of attacks can vary, while fiber optic solutions have limited range and a smaller payload than usual.
Anti-jammer drones — an interesting solution to a persistent problem
According to the portal Militarnyj, drones have been developed that can detect emission sources in 12 different frequency bands, allowing for precise targeting of objects for other drones or artillery. These drones can precisely determine the direction and distance to the source of a specific frequency. The following recording shows tests of a Russian anti-jammer drone.
This utilizes the same idea as anti-radiation missiles like AGM-88 HARM or HOJ modules for GBU-39 SDB bombs. Each jammer must emit radio waves at a specific frequency, allowing for identifying its position, similar to how radars are detected.
This means that jammers, while a key anti-drone tool, can become very vulnerable targets requiring protection. Over time, there will most likely be a shift to placing transmission antennas several dozen or several hundred yards away from the rest of the equipment using cables, but this is not an ideal solution.
This development will once again make it possible to broadly use cheap FPV drones controlled via radio communication, as was the case at the turn of 2022–2023.
