{"id":15229,"date":"2022-04-01T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-01T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2022\/04\/01\/turkish-drones-wont-give-ukraine-the-edge-it-needs\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:27:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:27:20","slug":"turkish-drones-wont-give-ukraine-the-edge-it-needs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/commentary\/2022\/04\/01\/turkish-drones-wont-give-ukraine-the-edge-it-needs\/","title":{"rendered":"Turkish drones won\u2019t give Ukraine the edge it needs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In addition to the ground invasion and airstrikes by Russia that are straining both the Ukrainian and Russian militaries in and around Kyiv, there is another layer of combat occurring in the air, an unmanned form of combat that is proving to be lethal<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drones have become a tool of both the invaders and the resistance in Ukraine, for both intelligence collection and attacks. In the run up to the invasion, Ukraine allegedly sent hand-launched reconnaissance UAVs into Belarus<\/a> to gather information on the preparations and movements of Russian troops staged there. While this is better than no information at all, its usefulness was limited because reconnaissance alone could not analyze the patterns of troop movements to create an understanding of how Russia\u2019s plans were developing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before the invasion, Russian-backed separatists reportedly used drones<\/a> to conduct \u201cmilitary deception\u201d operations intended to make the world believe that Ukraine was the aggressor. Russia allegedly staged several drone attacks using unmanned quadcopters that they alleged were carried out by Ukraine. These drones were almost always marked with Nazi symbols to bolster Russia\u2019s messaging about the fascist threat emanating from Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine has claimed its drones have destroyed several hundred Russian armored vehicles. That number seems high, given the limited size of Ukraine\u2019s drone arsenal prior to the invasion. If Ukraine possessed a large and formidable drone force, it is unlikely that the Russians would send in a 40-mile-long armored convoy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine has had success against Russian troops inside its border using the 20 or so Turkish Bayraktar drones it purchased several years ago<\/a>. But this is partially due to the inability of Russian tanks to move quickly through mud. In a few weeks, when the weather changes and the ground hardens in Ukraine, we may see a more mobile Russian advance. Russia will no doubt continue to aim airstrikes at airfields used by Ukrainian forces to launch drones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S. President Joe Biden recently approved American funding to beef up Ukraine\u2019s arsenal of armed drones. This is an indication of the significance of the unmanned war that is outpacing the conventional war. In fact, we may not see tanks in combat anywhere in the world again following this war, now that is it evident that they can so easily be disabled or destroyed by comparatively inexpensive drones.<\/p>\n\n\n\t