Drone Wars. Episode 2. Development of the approach to the organization of air defense against drones and cruise missiles in the rear and on the battlefield

Abstract

Drones have become a powerful platform for use as offensive weapons. The war between Russia and Ukraine showed that often very inexpensive drones can damage or destroy very expensive military equipment. Thus, the use of drones as air attack systems is a fairly effective way to inflict significant economic damage on the enemy/adversary, as well as to cause significant psychological and physiological exhaustion in the population. At the same time, the damage caused has a cost that is tens to hundreds of times bigger than the cost of using drones. If we take into account indirect economic losses and the level of negative impact on the population, the value ratio can be thousands or tens of thousands of times. All of this makes drones extremely effective as a military weapon. The platforms used today to shoot down drones were developed, as a rule, to destroy expensive manned platforms (planes, helicopters), and therefore have a high cost. Drones, even piloted ones, have little cost. Therefore, the application of expensive equipment to them quickly financially, and economically exhausts the party that defends itself in this way. The article discusses approaches to the formation of an air defense system with the wide use of drones both for the rear and for the battlefield. Both the possibilities of using already existing drones and platforms, as well as promising directions for their development, are described. Basic design systems for attack drones and systems for defense against them are described, including hunter drones to destroy enemy drones. The approaches to creating separate systems for destroying enemy drones are described in detail. For example, the system of organizing the rear from attacks by enemy drones of various systems is given. It also describes the basic rules for organizing the defense of one's positions against attacks by enemy drones on and near the front line. Prospective directions for the organization of complex, hierarchical, and echeloned air defense against drones have been identified. It has also been shown that some defense systems and platforms can also be effective against cruise and/or ballistic missiles. The obtained results can be used as a basis for the development of strategic programs for the development of the use of drones not only in the conditions of modern warfare, but also for the protection of the planet from natural factors of space threats.

Keywords: attacking drone, hunter drone, air defense, organization, development.