Russia is trying to copy Ukrainian sea drones, but failing, – Business Insider

Russia is trying to copy Ukrainian naval drones, but is failing – Business Insider Vladislav Kravtsov

Russia is trying to produce its own naval drone based on Ukrainian ones/Collage 24 Channel

The Russian army is trying to copy Ukrainian naval drones , studying their fragments. However, so far the occupiers have not had any success in this.

Business Insider journalists, citing an expert on combat drones, noted that copying Ukrainian drones is unlikely to bring much help to the occupiers. Moreover, this may turn out to be a waste of resources of the aggressor country.

What is known about Russia's copying of Ukrainian naval drones

The publication noted that Ukrainian naval drones played an important role in deterring Russia's Black Sea Fleet. Last year, Ukraine issued a warning, stating that Russia was trying to use parts of Ukrainian drones to create its own.

Meanwhile, British intelligence has claimed that Russia is actively trying to close the gap in military-technical capabilities with Ukraine. And Yevhen Yerin, a spokesman for the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, has responded confidently that Russia’s efforts will ultimately be unsuccessful. Drone expert James Patton Rogers of the Cornell Brooks Institute for Technology Policy has analyzed the situation, suggesting that Russia’s focus on copying Ukrainian naval drones may be a misallocation of resources. As Rogers noted, Ukraine’s lack of a significant navy makes it an unlikely target for such efforts.

Rogers emphasized that Ukrainian drones have succeeded in targeting the crews of Russian naval vessels. However, it should be noted that Ukraine does not have any naval ships, but only small vessels, indicating that any potential drone attacks from Russia would have minimal impact.

In simple terms, Russia could use parts and information to build naval drones, but the question arises: would this be an effective use of Russian resources? – the expert asked.

The authors of the article noted that naval drones have become an important component of Ukraine's attacks on Russia's Black Sea Fleet in Crimea. The Ukrainian military has previously reported significant damage to the fleet, with a third of the ships allegedly destroyed. In addition, in March, the UK Ministry of Defense announced that the fleet was considered “functionally inactive.”

Recent reports indicate that Russia has withdrawn the last patrol ship from the Black Sea Fleet stationed in Crimea, which has been confirmed by the Ukrainian side.

Commenting on the development of maritime technology, Rogers acknowledged the exceptional achievements of Ukrainian engineers in developing naval drones at a minimal cost.

He added that their ingenuity in the early stages of the war “led to the development of naval drones, speedboats and commercial technologies into viable and vital defensive weapons that seriously constrained Russian naval operations.”

Drone technology played a significant role on both land and sea throughout the Russian invasion, surpassing its use in previous conflicts. The drones have been used for offensive strikes against enemy personnel, equipment and infrastructure, as well as for reconnaissance in support of other military operations.

Modernization of drones and jamming capabilities remains a focus for both sides as they seek to stay ahead of each other in technological development and incorporate lessons learned from their adversaries.

Will Russia be able to copy Ukrainian naval drones

Drone expert James Patton Rogers described it as a “cat and mouse game.” In his commentary, Erin emphasized that Russia may face difficulties in replicating Ukrainian technologies due to the high level of qualification of our engineers.

According to the GUR representative, Ukraine has devoted a lot of time and effort to developing these technologies, which makes it unlikely that Russia will successfully imitate them.

However, Rogers emphasized that Russia has the opportunity to succeed in this matter.

The fact that Ukraine is a leader in the development of naval drones does not mean that Russia will not benefit from the capture and analysis of parts of captured Ukrainian drones, he noted.

The expert emphasized Russia's extensive experience in naval engineering and its ability to use elements of its own naval drone developments if necessary. Rogers also noted Russia's cooperation with Iran in developing drones, particularly in the area of ​​naval drones. However, despite these capabilities, the expert suggested that naval drones may not be very useful in the current conflict.

Speculation surrounds Russia's strategic considerations regarding potential future conflicts, including a possible war with NATO. European countries have expressed concern about the possibility of Russian aggression outside of Ukraine if left unchecked.

Ultimately, the publication emphasized that despite these discussions, the potential benefits of naval drones in such a potential conflict remain uncertain.