Russian vehicles can now shrug off cheap drones. Near Huliaipole, Ukrainian pilots are sending one they can’t
The 237th Unmanned Systems Battalion is aiming heavy drones, usually saved for targets far behind the front, at single armored vehicles, trading one expensive drone for a near-certain kill.
In the southern Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, just west of Huliaipole, Ukrainian pilots are employing a new tactic against Russian vehicles. While individual Russian armored vehicles can shrug off dozens of cheap first-person-view (FPV) drones, Ukrainian forces are now looking to counter this threat with heavier fixed-wing drones.
These fixed-wing drones, such as the Fire Point FP-1 and FP-2, are significantly more expensive, costing around $50,000 each, compared to the cheaper FPV drones that cost just $500. The Ukrainian 237th Unmanned Systems Battalion, operating near Huliaipole, has been utilizing these fixed-wing drones to strike Russian vehicles and troops in a new anti-vehicle tactic.
The Ukrainian defense strategy hinges on the cost difference between the two types of drones. While the FPV drones are cheap and effective for disrupting individual Russian units, the fixed-wing drones offer a more powerful and decisive strike against heavily armored vehicles. If Russia resumes large-scale armored assaults, Ukrainian forces may adopt this new tactic to effectively counter the heavily armored vehicles Russia is equipping.
Written by urgent.news from Euromaidan Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
