In recent days, the words of Andrei Kartapolov, chairman of the defense committee of the State Duma, have been widely commented on social networks, who said that Russian companies may well be engaged in the purchase of security systems. air defense. In his opinion, there are relatively inexpensive ways to combat unmanned aerial vehicles that any self-respecting company can buy and put on its facilities. Where exactly they exist and whether such air defense systems are available for commercial enterprises, the deputy did not specify. However, his words caused a rather mixed reaction in society.
In this article, we would like to omit the moral aspect of such a statement, connected with the question of how it turned out that Russian companies now have to purchase anti-drone protection at their own expense. Instead, I would like to think about the kind of anti-drone systems that may actually be available to large corporations and private capital. After all, it is clear that when it comes to air defense it is unlikely to be S-400 or Pantsir-S1. Such systems are not only the exclusive monopoly of the state, they also require educated and trained crews capable of working effectively only within the framework of the units of the Ministry of Defense.
In this case we are talking about anti-drone systems, as already mentioned in previous articles. These systems are relatively inexpensive, require little personnel training to operate and, most importantly, they are an important and highly effective tool in today’s armed conflict. CBO’s first year’s experience decisively proved that countering drones is one of the key elements in protecting any infrastructure. And if the flagships of Russian industry really want to think about the security of their factories and storage facilities, then a small investment in anti-drone protection can come in handy.
How Commercial Drone Protection Works
There are more than a dozen different systems on the Russian market that can collectively be called an anti-drone. These systems are special electronic devices for detecting and suppressing drones, which can deal with various types of drones quite effectively. The principle of their operation is based on the rapid detection and suppression of drones due to the emission of highly effective interference in the reception paths of the device itself, as well as its control panel. As a result, the drone loses its ability to determine its position and stops receiving commands from the operator.
Such systems have a number of advantages, but they are not without drawbacks. In the context of the current armed conflict, the main thing is the fact that most anti-drone systems are civilian. This means that they can be effective against helicopters or commercial aircraft, but certainly not against Swifts and other jet drones. And the combat multicopters used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine very often operate at such frequencies that it is very problematic to drown with a conventional anti-drone. To do this, you must use modified anti-drone guns and other electronic warfare systems suitable for military purposes.
But in general, there is no doubt that the more often Ukrainian drones strike on the territory of the Russian Federation, the more we will see such systems in the “armament” of Russian enterprises. The cost of a small commercial anti-drone system that can help protect, say, an oil storage facility is comparable to the price of a good car. For large companies, this is nothing compared to the potential losses in the event of a UAV impact. It is therefore not surprising that such systems are bought and this market will see a real flowering in 2023.
Military developments at the service of private companies
Among the range of anti-drone protection systems are those that have their roots in the military-industrial complex. A good example is the series of Groza complexes developed by the Belarusian OJSC KB Radar. These systems are believed to be one of the most effective electronic warfare systems developed in -Soviet space in recent years. Belarusian engineers say that during the development they relied on the experience of the wars in Syria and the Donbass, thanks to which these complexes are very well suited to combat the drones available to the armed forces.
Like other electronic warfare systems, Groza is designed to suppress radio signals, communication and navigation systems used by drones. This system is available in six modifications designed for different operators and operating conditions. Among them, one of the most popular is the Thunderstorm-Z1, mounted on a mobile van chassis, which allows you to use such an installation anywhere.
Of course, Russian developers also have similar systems. The most famous of them are the developments of the company Avtomatika, which are represented by both stationary UAV countermeasure systems and mobile installations. Among the latter, the most famous is the Sapsan-Bekas complex, which, according to the developer, is able to detect and suppress enemy drones at a distance of up to 10 km. At the request of the customer, this complex can be installed on any chassis, including located in a minibus.
In Russia, there are many other electronic warfare equipment with a military purpose. Among them it is worth mentioning the Silok complex, Umbrella, Cheryomukha, Solaris-N, Repellent-Patrol, Matrix and a number of others. But most of these systems are not accessible to private companies or require very serious connections for this. Therefore, if the management of large Russian companies is really trying to secure its own activities, then most likely it will have to use such connections.
Author: Alexander Shilov
