During last night alone, the Russian army used almost 40 "Shaheds" against Ukraine. Importantly, most of them were shot down by our defenders of the sky.
When Russian aviation launches more than a hundred guided bombs against our cities, villages, and frontline positions every… pic.twitter.com/kt0ww2abK4
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 21, 2024
Ukraine is developing AI-enabled drones to overcome increasing signal jamming by Russian forces and enable UAVs to work in larger groups. Several startups are pushing the boundaries of modern warfare by creating AI systems for target identification, terrain mapping, and programs that allow drones to operate in interconnected “swarms.”
Ukrainian defenders day and night are fighting with the world’s evil – Russia.
Those are brave people with big hearts, but they need ammunition to perform their duties efficiently.#SupportUkraine and its defenders to end this war as soon as possible.📷 Photo: Mykyta Shandyba pic.twitter.com/vb5aQJqgx8
— MFA of Ukraine 🇺🇦 (@MFA_Ukraine) July 20, 2024
Swarmer, a Kyiv-based company, is developing software to link drones into a cohesive network, allowing decisions to be implemented instantly across the group with human oversight for automated strikes. CEO Serhiy Kupriienko noted that while human pilots struggle to handle more than five drones, AI can manage hundreds.
The Security Service of #Ukraine used drones to destroy 284 units of Russian military equipment in one week. Including the famous #Russian tank-sheds.
The Russians use protective structures on the armour of tanks to protect them from FPV drones (example in the photo) pic.twitter.com/dLHQcltyVd
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) July 21, 2024
Automation not only scales up operations but also protects drone pilots who are priority targets for enemy fire due to their proximity to the front lines. However, ethical concerns persist about weapon systems that exclude human judgment. AI is already deployed in some of Ukraine’s long-range drone strikes targeting military facilities and oil refineries deep inside Russia.
These attacks sometimes involve swarms of about 20 drones, with some drawing out air defenses to clear the path for the core attack drones. As the conflict escalates, the need for AI-enabled drones becomes more pressing due to the increasing deployment of Electronic Warfare (EW) systems that jam signals between pilots and drones. Developers like Swarmer are working on functions that allow drones to lock onto targets using their cameras, nullifying the impact of signal jamming.
While AI-enabled drones have been considered expensive and experimental, running AI programs on cheap hardware like Raspberry Pi can bring costs down significantly.
AI-driven drone collaboration
Implementing a simple AI targeting system could cost about $150 per drone.
Ukraine has also developed an innovative network of nearly 10,000 acoustic sensors called “Sky Fortress” to counter waves of Russian drones. This low-cost solution aids soldiers in targeting and shooting down UAVs, with each sensor costing around $400 to $500. The effectiveness of these sensors has led to demonstrations and interest from other countries. Gen.
James Hecker, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Africa, emphasized the need for cost-effective solutions, as the U.S. has used expensive missiles to counter relatively cheap drones. Air defense and drone warfare observed in Ukraine are changing the nature of military helicopter tactics, moving the platforms’ center of gravity away from the tip of the spear to an emphasis on combat-support missions along the front lines. This shift is driven by proliferating ground-based air defenses that make manned flight over the battlefield almost impossible.
The vulnerability of combat helicopters has translated into high losses on the Russian side, with 40% of their pre-war Ka-52 Hokum-B attack helicopter fleet lost. Changes in tactics and the introduction of new weapons with greater stand-off range have had an effect on reducing losses. Experts suggest that helicopters could soon become integrated with unmanned forces, using their command control points, powerful communication relays, or as mobile means of radio-electronic warfare and intelligence.
The use of attack helicopters may have to evolve towards stand-off weapons that allow the aircraft to intervene from a greater distance.
