- Fatality amidst Wireless Command: Combat drones are steered via fiber optic lines without disruption
The conflict on the Ukraine border is primarily shaped by drones. They survey the opposition, hunt down adversaries, and obliterate vehicles and equipment. However, these handy, remote weapons aren't invincible. Both sides are developing counter-drone strategies. These tactics encompass drones that swiftly take down the enemy's devices or introducing shotgun and airburst ammunition, enabling infantry to eliminate drones.
At the moment, the most effective strategy is electronic command and control: jammers blocking data communication between the operator and the drone. If one side gets an edge here, it could disrupt the enemy's drones across a vast area temporarily.
Drones' vulnerability lies in radio signals. Generally, in civilian applications, drones are controlled via radio. Control signals and visual inputs can be easily transmitted.
In the military, they've reverted to vintage techniques: remote control via a wire. Since World War II, this method has been used. Many anti-tank missiles are still guided using a wire connection. This includes the American TOW, the Soviet Kornet, and the German Milan. They employ metal wires but can't transmit visual inputs.
German Cable Drone
For several months, small drones attached to a fiber optic cable have been utilized in Ukraine. Plus, the German company HIGHCAT from Constance introduced a similar drone, the HXV, planned for Ukraine use. The most notable advantage: such a drone can't be electronically disrupted. Its range is high, the fiber optic cable is light. This is crucial because the drone, not the operator, unwinds the cable.
While drone creators usually keep their projects under wraps, HIGHCAT co-founder Jan Hartmann openly discusses the project, sharing valuable insights about the technology. The HXV's range is up to 20 kilometers. The cable itself remains stable. Furthermore, it's not permanently laid; it only needs to steady for a single mission. The most challenging part is uncorking, according to Hartmann. The wire mustn't twist, and it mustn't unwind too loosely or tightly, or the wind will unwind the spool. The "braking force" of the light thread is low, but its weight is noticeable. At 10 kilometers in length, the system weighs 1.5 kilograms, and at 20 kilometers, it's already 3 kilograms. As a result, the drone's max payload, which includes an explosive or a camera, shrinks. With a heavy drone and a high payload, the cable's weight becomes less significant.
The wire control also offers another benefit: with radio connections, the operator's location can be determined, making them a target for the enemy's drone. This isn't an issue with a cable.
Prediction
It's likely that fiber optic drones will be used in larger numbers. The technology is simple and budget-friendly. Another alternative would involve equipping existing drones with AI, enabling autonomous flight and attacks. Even then, there'd be no radio connection susceptible to disruption. However, integrating the necessary electronics into the drone for this approach would be challenging, and it'd be lost with a kamikaze drone.
Drones resistant to jammers will ensure that these affordable weapons continue to command the battlefield. Throughout the year, they'll increasingly encounter weapons created to shoot down small drones. Neither AI nor cable control will offer protection against this.
In the context of drone technology and warfare, traditional methods of controlling aircraft, such as using a wire for remote control, can help minimize vulnerability to electronic disruptions, as seen with drones like the German Cable Drone.
At present, the German company HIGHCAT is utilizing small drones attached to a fiber optic cable in Ukraine, which proves to be resistant to electronic disruptions due to its wire control system.
