Ukrainians play a trump card: Russia can't cope with this drone
A newly developed drone manufactured in Ukraine has received approval from the commission of the Ministry of National Defense. This means that the unmanned aircraft might soon be utilized on the battlefield. The vehicle, known as Backfire, has a distinct characteristic that sets it apart - an ability to resist electronic warfare systems. We explore its capabilities and discuss the significance of such systems on contemporary frontlines.
5:07 PM EST, November 21, 2023
Mykhailo Fedorov, the Minister of Digital Transformation, unveiled the new drone on his Telegram profile, stating, "Backfire, a Ukrainian-made assault drone, can travel up to 22 miles and aids in attacking Russian artillery, logistics nodes, enemy warehouses, and command posts."
The critical feature of Backfire, a member of the Brave1 cluster, is its resilience against jamming executed by enemy electronic warfare systems. As per the minister, this is achieved through a GPS antenna, which is practically impervious to jamming.
According to Ukrainian officials, the autonomy of the drone prevents enemies from pinpointing the coordinates of the uncrewed aircraft and the ground crew operating it. This guarantees the safety of the pilots. However, the complete specifications of the uncrewed aircraft remain undisclosed. Fedorov only reveals a minimum range of 22 miles, leaving the potency of the warhead with which the drone will target its enemies unknown.
The Ukrainians have undeniably been prioritizing electronic warfare systems recently. An affirmation of this is the presentation in November of the Piranha AVD 360 system, capable of creating protective "domes" over vehicles to ward off enemy drones and safeguard potential targets.
Also joining the fight against drone signal jamming is the German company Quantum System, which supplies drones to the defenders. As reported by Defense Romania, the engineers of Quantum System have adapted their aircraft to new frontline challenges in response to Russian electronic interference of drone-satellite navigation signals. Their solution is software powered by artificial intelligence, acting as a secondary pilot.
Additionally, German-made drones now offer an option for manual landing using Xbox console controllers. This strategy is primarily aimed at preventing drones from dropping uncontrollably due to signal disruption, thereby saving them from potential destruction.
