Escadrone

Last updated

Escadrone is a non-profit group organized in Ukraine during 2022 in order to manufacture FPV attack drones, a type of FPV loitering munition. The business goal was to design and build a large quantity of low-cost drones, aiming specifically to be able to carry anti-tank grenades to the target: tanks and other armored vehicles as well as less-armored military vehicles.

Contents

Escadrone drones can be employed against moving targets, and by May 2023, Escadrone was producing 1000 Pegasus attack drones per month at a cost of under US$500 each. [1]

Background

During conflicts in the 2020s, armies modified common commercial racing drones into an FPV loitering munition by the attachment of an explosive payload. The drones are so named because of the First Person View (FPV) they provide the operator. FPV loitering munitions allow direct reconnaissance during the strike mission by the loitering munition. [2] [3]

Since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, approximately 30 companies in Ukraine are mass-producing drones for the war effort. The Ukraine government Ministry of Digital Transformation is attempting to purchase up to 200,000 drones per year, aiming to deploy relatively cheap drones against large advantages Russia has had in military equipment. In 2023, they have also sponsored several competitions where the "dozens of drone developers that have sprung up all over Ukraine" are invited to make simulated attacks on ground targets, or chase fixed-wing drones, or even participate in drone dogfight competitions. [4]

History

During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, rapid technology development occurred to iterate on design features and support larger drone payloads. Escadrone Pegasus and the Vyriy Drone Molfar are two examples. As of May 2023, most of these drones require substantial pilot skill and are not as sophisticated in autonomous control as more standard drones such as Mavic quadcopters used for video-reconnaissance. [1]

Escadrone is a non-profit group organized in Ukraine during 2022 in order to manufacture FPV attack drones, aiming specifically to be able to carry anti-tank grenades to the target—tanks and other armored vehicles as well as less-armored military vehicles—and can be employed against moving targets. By May 2023, Escadrone was producing 1000 Pegasus attack drones per month at a cost of under US$500 each. "The name Escadrone is a portmanteau of Ukrainian: ескадрон, romanized: 'eskadron', Ukrainian for cavalry squadron, and 'drone.' " [1]

Description

Escadrone has built and fielded several different drones. The Escadrone Pegasus is an attack drone that can move to enemy positions several kilometers away from the drone operator, loiter for several minutes as it scouts for targets (although targets have often been previously sighted and identified by reconnaissance drones), carry a 1 kg (2.2 lb) warhead capable against personnel and light armor, and move at up to 72 km/h (45 mph). Mission duration is typically 3 to 13 minutes. [1]

A heavier-duty Escadrone model can carry a 2 kg (4.4 lb) PTAB 2.5 anti-tank bomb. While much less effective than the larger and more expensive Javelin weapon system, it is highly effective against a tank's weak spots. The Escadrone attack drone is maneuverable and has been shown to successfully attack less protected places in the tank. [1]

The Escadrone PEGAS + carries a more powerful explosive payload and has greater range and is more robust to field conditions. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flakpanzer Gepard</span> Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun

The Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer Gepard is an all-weather-capable German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG). It was developed in the 1960s, fielded in the 1970s, and has been upgraded several times with the latest electronics. It has been a cornerstone of the air defence of the German Army (Bundeswehr) and a number of other NATO countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LAV-25</span> Canadian/American reconnaissance vehicle

The LAV-25 is a member of the LAV II family. It is an eight-wheeled amphibious armored reconnaissance vehicle built by General Dynamics Land Systems and used by the United States Marine Corps and the United States Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RKG-3 anti-tank grenade</span> Series of Soviet handheld grenades

RKG-3 is a series of Soviet anti-tank hand grenades. It superseded the RPG-43, RPG-40 and RPG-6 series, entering service in 1950. It was widely used in the 1973 Arab–Israeli War and remained a common weapon into the 2000s and early 2010s, being favoured by Iraqi insurgents during the American-led occupation. Modified versions of the RKG-3 series have also emerged in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of unmanned combat aerial vehicles</span>

The history of unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) is closely tied to the general history of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). While the technology dates back at least as far as the 1940s, common usage in live operations came in the 2000s. UCAVs have now become an important part of modern warfare, including in the Syrian civil war, the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war and during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PTAB (bomb)</span>

PTAB was a Soviet World War II high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) shaped charge bomb.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BMPT Terminator</span> Russian armored fighting vehicle

The BMPT "Terminator" is an armored fighting vehicle (AFV), designed and manufactured by the Russian company Uralvagonzavod. This vehicle was designed for supporting tanks and other AFVs in urban areas. The BMPT is unofficially named the "Terminator" by the manufacturers. It is heavily armed and armored to survive in urban combat. The AFV is armed with four 9M120 Ataka missile launchers, two 30 mm 2A42 autocannons, two AG-17D grenade launchers, and one coaxial 7.62 mm PKTM machine gun.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slat armor</span> Vehicle armor to protect against shaped charge warheads

Slat armor, also known as bar armor, cage armor, and standoff armor, is a type of vehicle armor designed to protect against high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) attacks, as used by anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs).

ZALA Aero Group is a Russian company specialising in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) development, located in Izhevsk, Russia. ZALA Aero has provided UAV systems for several sectors of the Russian government, including the Ministry of Defence, and has also won contracts to supply UAVs to foreign countries. The company's in-house design and production projects include a variety of systems related to UAV design, manufacture and operation, including autopilots, airframes, mechanical and pneumatic catapults, launchers, payloads and communication technologies. ZALA Aero is the only Russian company producing unmanned helicopters, portable anti-drone EW systems and a VTOL drone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AeroVironment Switchblade</span> American loitering missile

The AeroVironment Switchblade is a miniature loitering munition designed by AeroVironment and used by several branches of the United States military. Small enough to fit in a backpack, the Switchblade launches from a tube, flies to the target area, and crashes into its target while detonating its explosive warhead. The name Switchblade comes from the way the spring-loaded wings are folded up inside a tube and flip out once released.

Drone warfare is a form of aerial warfare using unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAV) or weaponized commercial unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The United States, United Kingdom, Israel, China, South Korea, Iran, Italy, France, India, Pakistan, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and Poland are known to have manufactured operational UCAVs as of 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IAI Rotem L</span> Israeli loitering munition

The IAI Rotem L or IAI Rotem - Light is a loitering munition developed by the Israel Aerospace Industries. The drone is a quadcopter that can loiter for 30–45 minutes with the maximum range of 10 km. It can carry 1 kg warhead that could be two fragmentation grenades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loitering munition</span> Type of guided unmanned aerial vehicle

A loitering munition is a kind of aerial weapon with a built-in munition (warhead), which can loiter around the target area until a target is located; it then attacks the target by crashing into it. Loitering munitions enable faster reaction times against hidden targets that emerge for short periods without placing high-value platforms near the target area and also allow more selective targeting as the attack can be changed mid-flight or aborted.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WB Electronics Warmate</span> Polish loitering munition

WB Electronics Warmate is a class of loitering munition UAVs developed by the Polish defence contractor WB Group. It can be equipped with several different payloads, including fragmentation, HEAT and thermobaric warheads and has a swarming capability.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NCSIST Chien Hsiang</span> Taiwanese loitering munition

The NCSIST Chien Hsiang is a Taiwanese anti-radiation loitering munition developed by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panther KF51</span> German Main Battle Tank

The Panther KF51 is a German main battle tank (MBT) that is under development by Rheinmetall Landsysteme. It was unveiled publicly at the Eurosatory defence exhibition on 13 June 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ZALA Lancet</span> Russian loitering munition

The ZALA Lancet is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and loitering munition developed by the Russian company ZALA Aero Group for the Russian Armed Forces. It was first unveiled in June 2019 at the ARMY-2019 military expo in Moscow. It is a further development of the ZALA Kub-BLA loitering munition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HESA Shahed 136</span> Iranian loitering munition

The HESA Shahed 136, or Geran-2 in Russian service, is an Iranian loitering munition in the form of an autonomous pusher-prop drone. It is designed and manufactured by HESA in assocation with Shahed Aviation Industries.

Kub-BLA is a Russian high-precision unmanned aerial vehicle and loitering munition developed by the Russian company ZALA Aero Group.

The AQ-400 Scythe is a one-way attack drone designed and built by Ukraine during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Hambling, David (5 May 2023). "Drones: Ukraine's Escadrone On The Skill Of Flying FPV Kamikazes". Forbes . Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  2. ↑ "Why Ukraine's kamikaze racing drones are causing a buzz on and off the battlefield". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 31 March 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  3. ↑ "Ukraine Racing Drone Converted Into Loitering Munition Makes Precision Strike Through Doorway". Forbes . 1 August 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  4. ↑ "Inside Ukraine's secretive drone program". CNN News . 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  5. ↑ "Ukrainians showed video use of the more powerful kamikaze drone Pegas +: armor to shreds". Liga. 14 June 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.