According to the commander of the French army, General Pierre Schille, small drones may soon lose their advantage in Russia's criminal war against Ukraine and other conflicts due to the rapid development of electronic warfare systems.
Points of attention
- EW systems are quickly eliminating the advantage of drones on the front in Ukraine.
- 80% of front-line drones are lost due to countermeasures by EW, which poses a danger to armies.
- The French army is preparing for the war of the future by rearming vehicles through the Scorpion program.
- The rapid pace of drone development hampers major procurement programs, and armies seek optimal solutions in a rapidly changing technological world.
- It is necessary to create a standardized industrial model to effectively deal with the challenges of new technologies in the military sphere.
Why the advantage of small drones on the front in Ukraine is disappearing
Schill emphasised that 75% of drones on the front in Ukraine are lost due to countermeasures by EW means.
The impunity of small, very simple drones over the battlefield is a snapshot in time. It's being exploited now, that's clear, and we have to protect ourselves. Today, a sword, in the aerial drone sense, is more powerful than a shield. The shield will be strengthened, notes the French army commander.
Dutzende of the newest electronic warfare systems were presented at the most significant European arms exhibition, Eurosatory, in Paris.
In particular, EW systems were presented as shotguns, guns and missiles.
In addition, such weapons manufacturers as Safran, Thales and Hensoldt presented systems of so-called "soft" countermeasures against UAVs.
According to Schill, all the French joint combat program "Scorpion" vehicles will be converted into anti-EW systems in two years.
They will be armed with turrets that fire rockets or 40 mm aerial grenades.
What is the disadvantage of the rapid development of drones
The commander of the French army also noted that FPV drones are currently causing about 80% of all destruction on the front line in Ukraine. However, eight months ago, these systems did not exist.
He believes that the situation will change dramatically again in 10 years or in the next few years.
Schill added that such development rates of military drones do not allow the army to count on large procurement programs because the purchased drones may become obsolete in as little as 5-6 months.
Drones cannot be compared to 155mm rounds that can be stored and will still be relevant in 10 years, and the Army needs to find "the right system in this rapidly changing world of new technologies. The challenge is to create an industrial model that is sufficiently standardised," explains the commander of the French army.
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