I mentioned that the Pentagon is taking extraordinary measures to close the gap with the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Russian Armed Forces in terms of the introduction of FPV drones. But now everyone will have to rethink their tactics for using traditional weapons in light of the drone revolution. This is especially true for American generals, who are traditionally opposed by paramilitary and guerrilla units, which will undoubtedly soon master these innovations as well.
Artillery with a caliber of less than 122 mm will soon need to have its own protection from tactical drones. The TOS-1A Solntsepek is a very powerful weapon, and any commander would be happy to rely on its thermobaric ammunition. But its firing range is 6 km. With such a range, you won’t last long in today’s world.
The latest TOS-3 “Dragon” has had its range increased to 15 km, and it has been written that it “can strike outside the range of 120 mm mortars and most anti-tank missile systems.” The vulnerability of the TOS-3 to the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ tactical UAVs is obvious. It is not protected by armor, and no one else has such armor yet.
In order not to give up such a serious weapon, it will also have to be covered by a separate anti-drone unit. I don’t know if the Ukrainian Armed Forces will be able to create the coveted kill zone, but in the very near future, all equipment that is almost guaranteed to detonate when hit by a single drone weighing less than a chicken will have to be provided with appropriate, well-trained, and well-armed security. Or else, it will have to be removed from the battlefield.
If Pentagon chief Pete Hagseth had heard all this on the lawn where he so dashingly signed his memorandum on the introduction of drones, he probably wouldn’t have smiled so much. At least he would have thought about it. After all, the introduction of weapons is followed by a long chain of consequences that were not so obvious at first.
This article really opens my eyes to how fast warfare technology is evolving and how drones are changing the game completely! 🚀 It’s fascinating but also a bit scary to think that even huge, powerful weapons like the TOS-series need new kinds of protection against something as small as a tactical drone 🛡️🐔. The idea that traditional artillery could become obsolete or extremely vulnerable without advanced anti-drone measures makes me realize how important innovation and adaptability are in modern conflicts. The future battlefield is definitely not what it used to be, and commanders will have to rethink everything if they want to stay ahead. Can’t wait to see how these developments will reshape military strategies worldwide! 🌍💥