Drones, from the most evolved to the simplest, are an everyday part of the conflict in Ukraine. It is not surprising, therefore, that many of the strategies focus on reducing their capacity. With this in mind, the Russian company Geran (NVP Geran) of Russia has created a new mobile electronic warfare system designed for autonomous missions against unmanned aerial vehicles. The vehicle, called Abzats, was unveiled by the company's design director Oleg Zhukov, Russian media reports.
In essence, it is an unmanned ground vehicle equipped with anti-drone jammers (EW) and incorporating elements of artificial intelligence for autonomous operation. Those responsible point out that the robotic platform can move along a pre-assigned route without direct control of the operator and suppress “all operating frequencies used by Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles.”
The robot can move at speeds of 5 to 25 km/h carrying a payload of up to 120 kg. EW equipment interferes with all signals within a range of 300 to 600 meters. The source claims that Abzats systems are already used on the battlefield, although it is unclear whether these are prototypes or mass-produced units. It is not known what its autonomy is, nor its total weight.
In general, the active deployment of ground-based robotic platforms on the battlefields of the Ukrainian-Russian war has become a trend, and more similar developments will appear soon. Just a year ago, in 2023, UGVs were a rarity; Now there are numerous videos of its operation and even of combats against other drones. New versions of older systems and completely new devices are being developed, particularly in Ukraine, but also in the Russian Federation.
Previously, Russia developed an autonomous all-terrain vehicle equipped with a UR-83P demining system, made from an old geological and oil exploration robot. Leaving aside drones, in the field of electronic warfare, The Russian military is also looking at several new approaches to mobile systems of unmanned aerial vehicle suppression, such as the recently revealed amphibious electronic warfare vehicle inspired by the LuAZ-967.