Gamechanger: Drones helped Ukraine increase effectiveness of strikes on russian artillery

The russian army relies on artillery as a key force in warfare, but Ukraine seems to have found more effective ways to destroy it, writes Forbes. This may be the result of the use of new weapons, such as long-range drones, which allow strikes on russian guns before they even open fire.

This is evidenced by the significant increase in the number of destroyed enemy artillery systems reported by Ukraine in recent months. Although the exact numbers are not known, the trend points to an improvement in the effectiveness of the strikes.

The destruction of russian artillery takes place in three stages: detection, transmission of coordinates, and destruction. Previously, Ukraine could only perform the first two, but the new drones allow it to complete the cycle.

FPV drones typically have a range of up to 20 km. Previously, russian artillery systems remained out of range, but recently they have been using smaller calibre guns – 122mm instead of 152mm – which reduces their range and makes them more vulnerable to attack.

Since April, Ukraine has started using improved FPV drones called Ukrolanset with a winged design that significantly increases the range. While exact specifications remain unknown, operators report a two- or threefold increase in range, allowing them to hit most russian artillery.

Nevertheless, HighMarsened analysts note that the overall combat capability of russian artillery on the front line has not yet shown a significant drop. However, due to high losses, russia’s resources are being depleted. It is estimated that at the current rate of losses, its artillery stockpile could be exhausted by 2025. If the losses continue to grow, serious problems with maintaining combat capability may arise by the end of this year, which will significantly complicate the conduct of hostilities.