The Russian state news agency Tass echoed this Wednesday of the successful attack of A new FPV drone with optical fiber against a Ukrainian combat vehicle on the Kursk front. This type of drones constitutes a new Russian threat, he said Oleksandr Syrskyicommander in chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraineon January 5. After announcing the number of Ukraine drones attacks carried out during December – continues 54,000 Russian objectives, half with kamikaze drones -, Syrskyi warned of the significant risks that for his troops he has The growing use of FPV drones with optical fiber by Russiaa technology that has drastically improved the capacities of its armed forces.
These drones are equipped with fiber optic cables that allow them to operate in environments in which traditional drones are not effective. Unlike these, which depend on radiofrequency or GPS signals to communicate with operators, FPV drones with optical fiber use a cable connection To transmit data and videos. This offers a significant tactical advantage: Immunity to interference in electronic warfare systems (EW).
In a conflict like that of Ukraine, in which EW systems are common to counteract the EVAs enemies, this feature makes fiber optic drones an asset of great value. The ability to maintain safe and uninterrupted communication with drone opens new possibilities to perform tactical attacks with greater chances of success.
These drones are usually designed for operations of Recognition, surveillance and precision attacks of long reach. They have a range of up to 20 kilometersdepending on the length of the fiber optic cable and the display configuration. Their design allows them to fly at low height and speed, which makes their detection difficult, while they continue to provide a Continuous high quality video transmission that helps operators track and attack objectives.
FPV drones with optical fiber are usually equipped with small explosive loads And they have proven to be very effective to deactivate or destroy strongly armored objectives, including tanks, artillery and other military vehicles.
Among the most prominent objectives that, according to the Russian Topwar medium, have been destroyed by these drones are advanced tanks supplied by the West, such as the Leopard 2A6he Abrams M1A1 American and the Challenger 2 British. They have also been accredited with the successful destruction of Ukrainian tanks T-64, Obuses M777 Americans, self -propelled artillery Caesar French and self -propelled weapons M109 Paladin Americans.
However, these drones are not exempt from disadvantages. The main limitation is the fiber optic cable, which restricts the scope and maneuverability of the drone. Being a physical connection, it can be cut or damaged And, as a result, the drone is deactivated in the midst of an operation. Despite these inconveniences, the advantages they offer in terms of operational reliability and precision exceed limitations.
Another aspect to keep in mind is that the logistics involved in the management of these drones is more complex than with traditional UAVs. Terrestrial equipment is required to deploy and manage fiber optic cableswhich adds an additional coordination and support layer. This can be a problem in combat situations in which time and speed are essential.
Although Russia has taken the lead in the deployment of these systems, Ukraine has already begun to try this type of technology to counteract the Russian electronic war and maintain operational continuity in the front.