How a Ukrainian backpack can take down Russian drones
Drones have become a key weapon in modern warfare, especially in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Both sides have been using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for surveillance, reconnaissance, and strikes, posing a serious threat to each other’s military and civilian targets. However, Ukraine has developed a unique and effective way to counter the Russian drone menace: a backpack that can jam their signals and make them crash.
The backpack signal-jamming system
The backpack signal-jamming system is a portable device that can disrupt the communication between a Russian first-person view (FPV) drone and its operator, causing the drone to fall short of its intended target. The system, which consists of two protruding antennas, blocks six different channels of communication, such as GPS, that are used by FPV drones to transmit data and receive commands.
The system is developed by a Ukrainian company called Kvertus Technology, which specializes in military equipment and electronic warfare. The system is small enough to be carried in a backpack and is man-portable, making it more flexible and more difficult for enemy forces to counter. The system has an operating range that can sometimes be as far as 700 metres, although Russian drones are typically being downed around 250 metres from their target.
The advantages of the backpack system
The backpack signal-jamming system has several advantages over other anti-drone methods, such as shooting them down with guns or missiles, or using other drones to intercept them. First, the backpack system is cheaper and easier to deploy, as it does not require expensive ammunition or sophisticated launchers. Second, the backpack system is safer and more precise, as it does not cause collateral damage or friendly fire. Third, the backpack system is more effective and reliable, as it can neutralize multiple drones at once and overcome their frequency-hopping techniques.
The backpack signal-jamming system is already being used by Ukrainian troops on the battlefield to combat the increasing use of drones by Russian forces. According to some reports, the system has successfully downed dozens of Russian drones, including the advanced Kronshtadt Orion, which can carry four guided bombs or missiles and has a maximum payload of 200 kg.
The implications of the backpack system
The backpack signal-jamming system is not only a countermeasure against the menace of suicide drones that have been plaguing the Ukrainian military and infrastructure, but also an example of Ukraine’s innovative solutions to cope against a much superior military in the two years of war. The system is also a way of giving Russia a taste of its own medicine, as Russia has a very advanced network of Electronic Warfare (EW) systems that have been giving a hard time to Ukrainian drones.
The backpack signal-jamming system demonstrates that Ukraine is not a passive victim of Russian aggression, but a resilient and resourceful adversary that can challenge and deter its enemy with creative and asymmetric means. The system also shows that the drone warfare is not a one-sided game, but a dynamic and contested domain that requires constant adaptation and innovation from both sides.
