New Report: Ukraine Drone Losses Are ‘10,000 Per Month’
New Report: Ukraine Drone Losses Are ‘10,000 Per Month’
A report by a defense thinktank RUSI claims Ukraine is losing an incredible 10,000 drones a month, mainly due to Russian jamming. Does this show the failure or the success of such drones as modern battlefield tools?
As Watling himself puts it: “Unhardened UAVs are disposable tools like munitions and get consumed very rapidly. You need them in your force and you need them to be cheap.”
For decades, Western armies have relied on a few expensive, 'exquisite' high-tech platforms, and that includes drones. This conflict of disposable drones may lead to a radical change in military procurement towards the many and the cheap.
RUSI? Tried to look them up to see if theysharee more than just letters with Russia. Found this great assessment from 2019 UK would be 'outgunned' in Russia conflict - think-tank
So if not biased just incompetent?
@sexy_peach In one of Hromadske's reports from Bakhmut a drone team did quote a fairly high number for drone losses. Not sure how accurate 10k a month is but it doesn't strike me as completely unbeliveable in relation to that.
Does this includes the kamakaze FPV units? The ones that are meant to be expended?
good question, idk
Good point. They are pretty cheap to construct. All in less than €400 per unit but will take a few hours each to build.
Pretty cheap for the damage they do, of course.
Wouldn't we by now be seeing piles of dead drones being showcased daily if they were lost in such a high number? Like it was done with the recent loss of leos?
This conflict has unique characteristics and will rewrite some "rules" for modern war.
“…even if the figure really is 10,000, this appears sustainable…10,000 DJI quadcopters at an average cost of about $1,000 would be $10m. Last week, Russia lost an Su-34 bomber, with a sticker price of something over $40m…
“And yesterday Russia apparently lost an even more advanced Su-35, which goes for around $85m. Together these two aircraft alone represent a loss ten times as great as all Ukraine’s drones for the month put together.“
The headline is pretty much clickbait. $10m is a drop in the bucket.
Great breakdown, very enlightening
Yeah! I thought it was interesting that it's not a big deal.