Chinese Experts Propose Low-Cost Air Defense Solutions Against Drones

Reference News Network, June 25 report The Russian newspaper "Vedomosti" published an article on June 22 stating that in the context of increasing aerial threats, Russian military experts have proposed various ways to improve air defense systems, including some non-standard solutions. The article content is as follows:

According to statistics from the Russian Ministry of Defense, the Russian air defense system intercepted and destroyed at least 4,124 Ukrainian drones in the past week, with the busiest days being June 18 and 20, when 992 and 740 drones were destroyed, respectively.

However, even with the efficient operation of the Russian air defense system, some Ukrainian drones have still managed to cause losses. In addition, the Ukrainian military is likely to gain additional capabilities soon: the G7 countries have issued a joint statement expressing their willingness to assist Ukraine in enhancing its strike capabilities. Some predict that the Ukrainian military will receive large jet drones before the end of this autumn.

Against this backdrop, military experts have begun to propose new solutions to improve Russia's air defense system.

Alexey Vasilyev, an author on the "Russian Engineers" channel of the Telegram social platform, believes that using old Su-27 and Su-30 fighter jets could "quickly solve" the drone problem. He wrote: "Dozens of such aircraft can be pulled out from the aircraft repair plant and flown by newly graduated flight students, treating it as flight training." He also suggested equipping these aircraft with infrared-guided R-27T and R-60 missiles.

However, not all experts agree with this idea.

Military expert Yuri Knutov said: "There is a huge difference in flight speed between modern drones and Sukhoi fighter jets. The fighter jets are likely unable to detect drones flying nearby. Maneuverable aircraft may be more suitable for this task, as they are more comparable in weight." He also believes that pilots of small civilian aircraft could be recruited to fly the maneuverable aircraft.

Retired Air Force Major General Vladimir Popov believes that hasty decisions regarding pilots should be avoided. He stated that inexperienced pilots might make many mistakes due to nervousness. Popov said: "In addition to theoretical knowledge and practical skills, psychological training (for new pilots) is also very important. It may be possible to form second-line aviation regiments using training aircraft and have flight instructors serve as pilots. Overall, the idea of using old Su-27 and Su-30 fighter jets to intercept drones is both costly and inefficient." He also stated that using fighter jets against drones is like "using a cannon to shoot sparrows."

Popov said: "Fighter jets indeed find it difficult to detect drones because the latter are usually small in size. Fighter jets can be used against large drones, but overall they are not suitable."

Experts have also proposed other methods to strengthen air defense. Knutov said: "A sub-branch for counter-drone operations must be established within the air defense forces. This sub-branch will perform the function of guarding the 'small sky' and protecting specific facilities. In other words, more mobile fire teams than currently should be formed. These teams should be equipped with pickup trucks carrying air defense missile systems and anti-aircraft machine guns, and be protected by electronic warfare systems. The use of anti-aircraft artillery and the reconstruction of air combat capabilities within the air defense forces in the future is also very important." He believes that another low-cost solution is to reactivate radar-equipped balloons.

Popov mentioned "passive air defense" equipment such as ordinary anti-drone nets. He said: "Even fishing nets can be used. Setting up anti-drone nets is cheaper than using any aircraft. This method is effective, simple, and easy to implement in a short time."

The expert also said: "Of course, observation posts equipped with modern acoustic systems must also be deployed. They can be set up 20 to 30 kilometers away from the protected targets, with the task of capturing signals from incoming drones and relaying the information to the air defense forces."

Popov also suggested involving more other forces in air defense operations. He said: "Considering the scale of aerial threats, more people should be involved in air defense. For example, the National Guard forces could be more actively utilized to protect important targets, and enthusiastic citizens could be incorporated into the police force and taught how to use counter-drone equipment. Equipping the public with anti-drone guns and teaching them how to operate them is faster and cheaper than deploying old aircraft from stock." (Translated by Liu Yang)