Ukraine war exposes gaps in West's drone defense
Photo: A servicemember standing in front of a Patriot air defense missile system (Getty Images)
According to the outlet, Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine has shown that effectively countering drones requires not only expensive high-tech systems but also simpler solutions for the timely detection of threats.
Western militaries possess advanced sensors designed to detect missiles and combat aircraft. However, drone warfare has exposed gaps in air defense capabilities that require new technological solutions.
Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO's Allied Command Operations, Sir John Stringer, said that Western countries need to increase investment in relevant detection systems.
"For defensive air defense purposes, we need to get back to investing in the range of sensors that we need," he noted.
According to Stringer, some of these solutions are new to many Western countries. In particular, he was referring to low-cost acoustic sensors that rely on microphones and help detect drones.
"And we've seen the lay down in Ukraine on that," the NATO official said.
The outlet stressed that the war in Ukraine has become one of the key factors driving the reassessment of modern air defense. The widespread use of drones has turned them into a constant threat both on the front line and in the rear, forcing Western militaries to seek new ways of detecting and neutralizing such targets.
Drones are becoming one of the key tools of modern warfare, which is why Ukrainian companies are actively working on new means of countering enemy UAVs.
Earlier, Ukrainian company Yartura presented its Dancer line of interceptor drones designed to combat Russian unmanned aerial vehicles. The new Dancer 4.5.0 version features greater speed, an automatic target-guidance system, and claimed protection against electronic warfare measures.
