Forbes: Ukraine Wears Down Russian Artillery
- 20.06.2025, 9:58
But there's an important nuance.
At the beginning of the full-scale war, Russian artillery was considered one of the Kremlin's main trump cards: massive shelling created "fire curtains" behind which troops advanced. At the time, it was believed that Russia outnumbered Ukraine 10 times in the number of guns, and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky regularly asked allies for shells.
Since then, much has changed. As the commander of the Ukrainian National Guard's Typhoon UAV unit with the call sign "Michael" told Forbes in a commentary, artillery hasn't gone anywhere - but now drones are becoming the main threat.
How drones find Russian artillery systems
Ukraine has made great strides in counter-battery warfare. Guns that have opened fire can be detected using counter-battery radars, such as the American AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder, which track the trajectory of the projectile and calculate the starting point. In addition, new-generation acoustic sensors are also being actively introduced.
"Radar is the first stage. It determines the approximate area, but not the point. Often it is an area of 200 by 200 meters - too large for an accurate strike," the military officer stressed. Therefore, the use of drones with wide coverage - both with live video feeds and high-resolution photography - is needed afterward. They make it possible to accurately determine whether the gun is in place and transmit the coordinates.
When is the best time to look for artillery
"The easiest way to detect artillery is at the moment of firing - flashes, smoke, movement of the calculation. Even if the gun is partially hidden by trees or buildings, we recognize it by its silhouette. In the forest we look for track tracks, disturbed soil, heat from the equipment (if you have a thermal imager)," - said "Michael".
After confirming the coordinates, the strike should be made immediately - before the gun has left the position.
Why UAVs are better than artillery
While counter-battery fire is still relevant, in many cases howitzers are already being replaced by drones.
"FPV drones - both quadcopters and gliders - are often more accurate and faster than artillery. A quality drone is the most effective way to destroy an artillery system," the military officer emphasized.
In practice, a drone can fly slower than a projectile (~160 km/h vs. 1,000 km/h for a projectile), but it manages to reach the target faster because it does not require targeting and fire correction. FPV can fly for several minutes but hit the target the first time.
Artillery, on the other hand, requires several salvos, especially if the target is moving.
If the gun is self-propelled, it can leave before the shell arrives. A drone, on the other hand, is capable of chasing artillery and hitting it even while it is moving. With towed guns it is more difficult - they must be hit element by element: breech, sight, towing vehicle.
"The main thing is stable video communication. Without it, the operator will not be able to accurately point the drone," the Ukrainian military officer explains. This, he says, is helped by the new "firebird drones," which do not lose communication even in difficult conditions. After the strike, a reconnaissance drone is used to confirm the destruction.
Artillery is inferior to drones
"Russian artillery still poses a serious threat," confirms "Michael." However, for example, Russian reconnaissance drones, despite having been shot down in numbers of several thousand, are still plentiful.
"They [the Russians] have no shortage of reconnaissance UAVs. They [drones] are constantly in the air," the military officer added. Most interestingly, Russia, despite having artillery, is also increasingly relying on FPV drones, with hundreds of drone strikes a day occurring.
According to open sources, Russia plans to produce up to 2 million FPV drones in 2025 against 3 million artillery shells. Ukraine, for its part, is also ramping up production.