Western countries are learning from Ukraine's drone defense and attack techniques.
The prolonged conflict between Russia and Ukraine has become a stage for military technological innovation, especially in the field of drone defense and attack. Faced with the superior number of Russian drones, the Ukrainian military has launched a network of over 10,000 acoustic sensors for detection and early warning, claiming to be able to detect targets at a very low cost and guide anti-aircraft fire to intercept them. In Western countries, professionals are highly concerned about the "Ukrainian experience" and believe that it should be selectively replicated in their own armed forces.
According to the "Warzone" website in the United States, recently, several senior military officials from the United States and NATO have expressed recognition of the "cheap anti-drone network." Major General Stephen Gaine of the US Army has said that Ukraine has deployed acoustic sensors throughout the country, and the US should try to integrate such low-cost solutions into its own air defense network. General James Heck of the NATO Allied Air Command has revealed that the Ukrainian military has installed over 9,500 sensors, and the information obtained is processed by a central computer and distributed to mobile firepower teams, who set up ambushes along the drone flight paths, "waiting for the rabbit to come out."
According to the "Defense One" website in the United States, Ukraine's acoustic anti-drone network was originally developed by two engineers in a garage. In a springtime operation this year, Ukrainian air defense forces claimed to have intercepted over 90% of incoming drones. Following this, the system was transported to Ramstein Air Base in Germany for testing, where it received positive feedback. Heck revealed that afterward, NATO conducted testing in Romania, further proving the system's effectiveness. What's more, individual sensors cost only $400-500, making them much cheaper than traditional air defense missiles in counter-drone operations.
Another case is the April air strikes by Iran on Israel. Israel claims to have destroyed most of Iran's cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and drones, but the use of multi-million dollar air defense missiles to counter drones worth only tens of thousands of dollars has sparked controversy. James Heck said he often asks industry insiders: how can we be on the right side of the cost curve in integrated air defense, and how can we put our opponents on the wrong side? In his view, Israel's response strategy was not reasonable, and the defense industry needs to come up with more creative solutions.
"The 'Battlefield' reports that there are no specific plans for developing or deploying acoustic detection networks in Western countries at present." However, they are increasingly interested in their experience in Ukraine and hope to cover the entire Europe with similar technology in the near future to create a new air surveillance system. The intelligence collected through this system can be shared with traditional air defense networks to bring comprehensive air defense systems to a much higher level of efficiency at a very low cost. On the basis of radar and infrared sensors, the low-cost acoustic equipment deployed in a dispersed manner can add a new "spectrum layer" to the system to help improve data quality.
One of the advantages of acoustic sensors is that they are immune to electronic interference, and only physical decoys or network attacks can weaken them. This air defense network also has a high degree of "resilience" because it is widely distributed and adopts a passive detection mode, making it difficult to pinpoint accurately. Even if some sensors are damaged, they can be replaced and repaired at a relatively low cost and speed.
Western countries believe that the threat from low-flying drones and cruise missiles is increasing. In the absence of airborne early warning aircraft, such targets are difficult to detect and track. The acoustic detection network that emerged in the Russia-Ukraine conflict can provide assistance in identifying and mitigating low-altitude threats without incurring significant costs. As attack drones become more widespread globally, both allies and adversaries of Ukraine will develop similar combat capabilities. The new anti-drone system is gaining popularity in Europe and the United States because more and more people are realizing that the offensive and defensive use of drones will become a regular feature of future wars. "Defense One" reported that the US Marine Corps has decided to equip all combat units with anti-drone equipment, regardless of their mission. The military plans to hold a competition in the fall, during which contractors will showcase acoustic, optical, and electronic countermeasures.
Some military experts argue that the drone offensive and defense operations in Ukraine have demonstrated the mutual promotion of technological innovation and military action, but caution should be exercised in assessing the actual effectiveness of a particular technology without being misled by information on social media.
Michael Kofman, a senior researcher at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, analyzed that videos of drones destroying opponents' armored vehicles are widely available on the internet, but according to his on-the-ground observations, in Ukraine, drones are increasingly being used for tasks such as laying mines and transportation.
A Ukrainian soldier told Kofman that about half of the supply missions in the area near the front line are carried out by drones, because using vehicles and other large transportation vehicles to move supplies is easy to be bombed. Additionally, compared to other weapons with similar combat effectiveness, attack drones often require more manpower. A typical drone combat unit typically includes an operator, a navigator, a weapons expert, and an engineer.
US media pointed out that the widespread use of drones has significantly lowered the bar for implementing precise strikes on the front line. In contrast, Western countries "overemphasize" the use of heavy precision munitions to target high-value targets deep within enemy territory. Michael Kauffman warned US commanders: "Don't assume you can always do better than the Ukrainians." He explained that US military doctrine emphasizes improving the mobility of troops to reduce casualties, but the reality is that in large-scale, sustained military operations such as the conflict in Ukraine, "you have to accept very high personnel casualties to achieve ultimate victory."
