Numbers aside, 96% attributed to drones is almost unbelievable. What a massive shift in what contemporary warfare looks like.
2170
ShortStoryIntros5 days ago
+168
I still remember early days... when you saw the logistical nightmare of trucks, tanks, etc... getting absolutely destroyed because they sat in a column waiting for orders or refueling.
Now, Drones can takeout pretty much anything. Popping tank turrets up 50-100ft in the air, no problem.
Eventhough this war seems like an old WW1 type of trench warfare. Its highlighted how advanced and unpredictable future wars are going to become. Its no longer the amount of soldiers you have on the ground, but behind the monitor.
168
Fallouttgrrl5 days ago
+51
We've got soldiers in exosuits too
Cyberpunk dystopia is getting more and more real every day
51
ShortStoryIntros5 days ago
+25
Yeah, it really has a Cyberpunk feel.
Some of the suits look similar to whats seen in the movie Edge of Tomorrow
25
Fallouttgrrl5 days ago
+30
Yeah so far they're mostly used for assistance with running and with loading heavy things
But damned if we're not getting closer to the days of "drones turn tanks into sitting ducks, but we'll always need infantry" power armor
30
ShortStoryIntros5 days ago
+20
I noticed that. Some of that tech is even finding itself into civilian life.. (Farming and Gardening knee/back exoskeletons) to lift heavy things or prevent excessive repetitive stress. Pretty damn cool
Your right about the Tanks.. and I guess it's only a matter of time before those Boston dynamics robots take our place as infantry on the battlefield. Speaking of... Zelensky just showcased his new Drone fleet. They were recently able to take over an enemy position without using any human troops of their own. The video has some futuristic Terminator vibes to it
20
tech_noir_guitar5 days ago
+9
Wait, what? I must have missed that one. You have a link to the exosuit fighters?
9
TheProuDog5 days ago
+6
Where?
6
WendellSchadenfreude5 days ago
+17
> Popping tank turrets up 50-100ft in the air, no problem.
It's not the drone doing that, it's the [tank's own ammunition "cooking off"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack-in-the-box_effect). And it would rarely happen in Western tanks.
Most of these tiny FPV drones can't take out tanks at all, their payload is too small and only meant to fight infantry and unarmoured vehicles. But their operators can of course quickly inform their better-equipped comrades and call in artillery strikes, or heavier drones. Besides, a tank isn't that dangerous anymore after all supporting infantry has been killed or scattered.
17
alekou85 days ago
+1041
The US isn’t ready for new war
1041
DeathCabForYeezus5 days ago
+1572
"Remember IEDs? They fly now." was something I saw written.
Half of all deaths in Afghanistan were as a result of IEDs. And now instead of you needing to go to the IED, the IED comes to you at between 20 and 200mph.
1572
Zealousideal_Yak_6715 days ago
+333
Uber-dead
333
WastingMyLifeToday5 days ago
+196
Dead-Lyft
196
Late-Resolve98715 days ago
+121
Taxi-dermied
121
Floortank5 days ago
+101
Doom-dash
101
machiz78885 days ago
+50
Fresh-Dierect
50
Same-Chipmunk59235 days ago
+50
Fed Exed.
50
genreprank5 days ago
+35
DeadHL
35
[deleted]5 days ago
+16
[deleted]
16
Brandarius475 days ago
+60
Honestly i know very little about drone technology.. but 200mph seems crazy. Nkt unbelievable or anything. Just wow its far away you here it for a second and nothing every again.
60
Sivalon5 days ago
+54
Shoot, a small drone going 30mph would be more than enough
54
Brandarius475 days ago
+40
I wonder if youd even hear it coming at 200mph.. maybe a quick noise and thats it? Thats wild to me
40
vr_fanboy5 days ago
+51
no need to imagine, we have a bajillion videos from all POV's imaginable, both ukr/rus, both target and drone, heck we even have synchronized videos with both POV's. Is easy to understand how it sounds/looks/feels to be a target in the ukraine theatre, it can be super fast, or painfully slow, its up to the drone operator / type
51
Brandarius475 days ago
+12
I should look more into it.. though i really dont want to see the outcome. I read the articles and what not to see whats happening over there but generally avoid the videos, good side or bad side id rather not see the end of some strangers life. I remember a video not to long ago of a russian soilder seeingbthe drone and just.. giving up trying to flee cuz he knew it was inevitable
12
Willing-Bumblebee4465 days ago
+17
The world’s leadership needs a cleansing unlike anything in history
17
OttawaTGirl5 days ago
+33
Wait till dyson starts making drones... Those will be silent.
33
Brandarius475 days ago
+36
Idk any dyson vacuum i had really sucked
36
achtungbitte5 days ago
+27
they're supposed to suck
27
Pocket_Jury5 days ago
+15
And cost 4-times as much as other drones.
15
OttawaTGirl5 days ago
+5
Did a dive and there are bladeless testing being done. So dyson wont need to! Someone else make silent death.
5
Fallouttgrrl5 days ago
+5
Silent but deadly has been around for a long time
5
Silent_Death5 days ago
+6
You summoned me?
6
thisFishSmellsAboutD5 days ago
+4
Will they suck? Or just blow?
4
Brandarius475 days ago
+7
My guess is theyd blow (up)
7
DeathCabForYeezus5 days ago
+41
The Sting drone operated by the Wild Hornets in Ukraine can reach just a smidge under 200mph.
They use them to intercept Shahed drones and not anti-personnel/anti-vehicle, but the tech is still there and actively used in theatre.
41
null-interlinked5 days ago
+3
ASren't those made with the help of Terra drones from Tokyo?
3
Colbert20205 days ago
+90
I think it is insane people have not been following the four years of the Ukraine invasion. I don't understand why the war in Ukraine is something no-one cares about. More people have been killed in this war in this period of time than all the other conflicts in the Middle East COMBINED. The war wages daily and yet all I see are posts about I/P or other Middle East skirmishes and incursions.
Anyways, I tell people about how drone combat evolved and they don't believe me.
It's the way countermeasures evolved against it which are very interesting. At first you just had the normal remote-controlled drones. Then electronic countermeasures became something people deployed to secure locations. The operators would lose communication with the drone and they'd be useless.
Then, they began to deploy drones using fiber-optic cables. These are thin wires, as thick as fishing lines. While their range was diminished, they were immune to jamming. This is the part where people don't believe me, but areas with high drone activity look like they are covered in thousands of spider-webs with these fiber-optic cables everywhere. Look it up.
There was a daring attack Ukraine did deep in Russian territory that took out a fiber-optic plant.
In order to protect valuable supply-lines and evacuation routes from drones, Ukrainians set up nets along roads.
The Shahed became its own obstacle. It's interesting because it flies kind of slow compared to modern jets like the F-16. Shooting a missile at it is really cost ineffective, but using your guns in a fast-moving jet is actually very dangerous.
Drones warfare is very complex now and highly specialized. There's anti-jamming drones, drones tethered by fiber optic cables, the IED drones, surveillance drones. They have different hardware like infrared, and some are equipped with AI.
But the spider-web towns from the fiber-optic cables are just the most surreal thing to look at.
90
Tammer_Stern5 days ago
+32
The best story I read was when Ukraine paid Russians to drive trucks all the way to long range bomber bases in the centre / east of Russia. When the trucks parked at the agreed stop, the Ukrainians activated the drones that were hidden in the truck (the roof slid back). The drones then flew over to the base and destroyed their long range bombers.
32
insufficientmind5 days ago
+24
There's some wiild footage from operation spiderweb. There where russians filming the drones taking off one after another right next to the trucks when the roof slid off and they started flying out. Then we see the drones view of each and every one of the them smashing into the airplanes and the following drones filming the burning planes. There was even a soldier with an air defence gun filming a selfie of himself with drones and fires in the background just shaking his head saying it was a hopeless situation.
An unbelievable operation!
And it could have been even worse if all the trucks had managed to reach their destination to release their cargo. There where a couple that failed with some airports untouched or not nearly as hard hit as the worst cases.
Total count of damaged or destroyed planes where 41.
It would be fun to see a follow up if the war continues. Though not sure how necessary it is by now. The FP1 and FP2 drones are having a devastating effect as is with daily attacks on expensive russian equipment and bases. Check out Jake Broe YouTube channel for some good reporting on it all.
And a sidenote here: Yesterday I saw the latest mini drone carrier built by Ukraine. It can carry 6 FPV drones!
24
JasonsThoughts5 days ago
+26
> I think it is insane people have not been following the four years of the Ukraine invasion. I don't understand why the war in Ukraine is something no-one cares about.
I can only speak for myself, obvs, but for me it's compassion fatigue. I do care about the war in Ukraine, but as an individual person there's little I'm able to do. It doesn't help that my country's government (USA) has turned their back on Ukraine. Reading about the war, and thinking about how many Ukrainians have been displaced or died, is really depressing. Sometimes I have to look away for my own mental health.
26
Hodaka5 days ago
+37
> I think it is insane people have not been following the four years of the Ukraine invasion.
In the US, given Trump's flip flopping on Ukraine and his relationship with Putin, the media aren't really sure what to say.
F/ex: Putin is allegedly helping Iran target US military bases. Later Trump calls Putin as if he was an old friend.
37
Colbert20205 days ago
+29
Yeah, no. People weren't paying attention even during Biden's admin after the first year. However, the media was super focused on I/P and isn't letting up. I don't care what you think of that conflict, it is minor compared to what's been happening in Ukraine.
People are freaking out over deaths and injuries in the Middle East totaling thousands.
There's been over a million casualties in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
29
daynomate5 days ago
+7
Check out the world record for drone speed on yt - DIYers just innovating on the c****. 500km/h +
7
Druggedhippo5 days ago
+7
World's Fastest Camera Drone Vs F1 Car (ft. Max Verstappen)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pEqyr_uT-k
7
Tango_D5 days ago
+36
Artillery that tracks you personally and rarely misses and the fiber optic ones cannot be jammed
36
3deltapapa5 days ago
+25
But the gun bros on 2A forums are convinced they're gonna git granpappy's old side-by-side and blow these things out of the air with one well placed 12ga shell
25
Tango_D5 days ago
+7
good luck with that. Even if they did manage to detonate it before it hits them, they will still eat the shrapnel and the other side will simply send more to finish them off.
7
monty8455 days ago
+5
Semi-auto shotguns are heavily used in Ukraine for drone defense. They are also rolling out 5.56mm rounds that are essentially mini shotgun shells. So its not totally off base, even if a 2-round capacity shotgun is a poor choice.
What is less clear is just how effective such measures are. Any defense is better than the alternative: No defense. But realistically, this just extends the time line, whether its the 2nd or the 10th drone sent in that gets you, instead of the first...
5
3deltapapa5 days ago
+3
yeah it's better than nothing but I think a poor situation if that's what you're using
3
Settra_Rulez5 days ago
+7
The Ukrainians have already mitigated that issue by necessity. I expect most countries will develop anti-drone drone industries over the coming years.
7
Thunder-123455 days ago
+9
But America will need 30 billion dollars in development costs and it'll be ready to deploy by 2040
9
KindOfPoo5 days ago
+5
>"Remember IEDs? They fly now."
[They fly now?!!](https://youtu.be/Ho4xcXIgIr0)
5
CaptainThorIronhulk5 days ago
+2
They fly now?
2
Alt16905 days ago
+2
They flow now?!?
2
BooksandBiceps5 days ago
+74
Air supremacy would change the Ukraine and Russian situations a bit.
I also thing the advent laser weapons for anti-drone work will change a lot, though that’s 5-10 years out.
74
thegoatmenace5 days ago
+27
Yeah there’s a chance that these c**** drones will basically become useless once lasers are commonplace on the battlefield. In the meantime they will remain an enormous problem. And it will be a long time until non-superpowers have access to anti-drone lasers.
27
ShermansAngryGhost5 days ago
+28
The never ending cycle between the sword and the shield. Currently the sword reigns supreme, but the shields day will come.
28
SC_TheBursar5 days ago
+3
From a military history perspective, in the race of 'warhead' and 'armor', armor is rarely in the lead for long no matter how visible and notable it might be, just from a simple matter of physics. There's a reason why battleships no longer exist, main battle tanks don't have nearly the role they did anymore (and when they were dominant it was like v like battles - GAU-8 beats tank every time). It's easier to make the caliber/muzzle velocity of a gun a bit higher than it is to make effectively useful armor proof against it.
Forces continue to stand off from each other by longer and longer distances because of this reason.
Technological improvement of defense gives temporary reprieve, but only long enough for the next (and easier typically) advance to defeat it. 'Offense is the best Defense' was coined for a reason.
3
StarktechJanitor5 days ago
+4
Lasguns
4
mickdrop5 days ago
+3
The Emperor protects
3
engineeringstoned5 days ago
+8
Nope.. I'll just have a swarm fly to your location . One of my cheapest drones is enough for your multimillion dollar weapon
8
Winter_Criticism_2365 days ago
+7
Until it rains, or snows
7
thegoatmenace5 days ago
+14
Drones also have a hard time in inclement weather.
14
MonoMcFlury5 days ago
+45
Laser weaponry is definitely helpful, but there are some significant drawbacks. Its effective range is much shorter than kinetic weapons, and its performance degrades considerably in foggy or rainy conditions.
45
BooksandBiceps5 days ago
+14
A shorter effective range is fine, they’re drones, not a plane or fast-moving cruise missile - you can also reliably hit it unlike kinetics.
The foggy or rain is less of an issue than it was before.
14
MonoMcFlury5 days ago
+13
Working together in a system with conventional weapons is the way to go.
https://youtu.be/PV3jfR-FUFc?is=33bFSJNHHTBJKq8H
13
WendellSchadenfreude5 days ago
+4
> performance degrades considerably in foggy or rainy conditions.
That also seems to be the case for (small, tactical) drones at the moment, so it might not be that big of a problem.
4
Cosmo_Seinfeld5 days ago
+8
>The US isn’t ready for new war
They fired the Army General the other day who has been working to modernize the US Army regarding drones.
8
whoanellyzzz5 days ago
+4
conventional war no but airstrikes yes lol
4
macrocephalic5 days ago
+9
The US has been unable to maintain safe passage through a single 20km wide waterway.
9
arkon__5 days ago
+7
It would require troops on the ground for such a comment to make any sense.
7
AverageLiberalJoe5 days ago
+11
It's insane how much money and hardware we have that's basically useless now.
Eventually it will just be swarms of tiny AI driven solar powered, single casualty poppers. Impossible to shoot down, impossible to predict a flight path, ability to take down any target from any distance. Dirt c****, easy to produce.
Like a colony of cartoon ants turning into a sledge hammer.
The Incredible Engineering of the Black Hornet Nano Drone - Engineering.com https://share.google/QTD0dwNG4Ro9Cxke0
11
UltimateKane995 days ago
+44
Eh... Useless? I feel like useless is the wrong term. The fact is that US weaponry will still be devastatingly powerful at wiping out C&C centers, hardened targets, and masses of troops. These drones need distribution centers, IT tech teams, communication systems (at least for anything over any reasonable distance to engage US forces), etc., all of which are fair game now and well within range of the US's stand-off weaponry.
Arguably, MOST of the US arsenal is actually keenly built for this sort of warfare. The US's heavy reliance on air supremacy to the point of ridiculousness grants them a lot of staying power in short to medium range drone fights, and Growlers have potent ECM suites to fry drones that get too close to aircraft.
However, air power has never won a war, and while this will absolutely play well into the US's standard "shock and awe" strategy, their enemies will likely see as great or greater of a benefit from drone warfare due to their previous heavy reliance on "mass waves of soldiers" that fits better into this drone-niche than the US will. If every soldier is 9 drones and a soldier, the higher quality training of the US soldiers will see their edge diminished greatly purely by gross weight of ordnance arrayed against them.
The US will need to have higher quality and higher efficacy drones if they want to fight toe to toe with near-peer enemies now. Which I'm sure DARPA and all these AI companies with new military contracts are positively *salivating* over...
44
abellapa5 days ago
+8
What mass of troops ?
In ukraine, Rússia stopped massing troops for a New offensive because they can easily be spotteed by drones
8
woodrax5 days ago
+72
During a recent NATO exercise, Hedgehog 2025, 10 drone operators rendered 2 NATO battalions combat ineffective in a day. They used 30 drones and (simulated) the destruction of 17 armored vehicles. Average time to detect the enemy on the field once the drones were in the air was a couple of minutes.
72
jmacintosh2505 days ago
+34
Part of it is Ukraine and Russia’s tactics favor drones over all else. No one wants big confrontations: you try to go around with one to two guys, find a breakthroughs and push in there. These are best countered by *Drum roll* Drones. Because it’s easier than firing an artillery shell. And neither side is putting out the men to counter the other.
Combine that with both sides having artillery heavy doctrines and starting to run out of 155, and drones are the method to fill it. Artillery was one of the major killers in war, and drones are filling the void on both sides.
34
BooYeah88445 days ago
+6
Yes. The success of drones in Ukraine has been born out of the stalemate and desperation of Ukraine for defense. Russia had old failed offensive doctrine and neither side really attacks with full suppyon all fronts and aspects.
6
G_Morgan5 days ago
+15
Worth noting that drones are so prevalent in this conflict because neither side can get enough artillery and air power in. Drones are a battlefield shift but they are over represented in this war because both sides can make drones when they can't make other things.
It is also partially a consequence that neither side is really using third generational warfare here so the lines are WW1 style static which also makes it easier for drones.
15
EuropaWeGo5 days ago
+4
That craziest part is that the majority of the drones are fairly c**** to produce and will only become cheaper as productivity and logistics are improved.
4
Infamous_Alpaca5 days ago
+6
96% is insane, they live in a different reality then everyone else. I feel bad for the soldiers returning from this war. Many of them will suffer from PTSD, and anything drone-related will trigger them. Imagine someone flying a "hobby drone" nearby, or even just hearing certain everyday sounds. Maybe we could have drone-free neighborhoods for veterans so they can rehabitate and adjust to society again.
6
rangeDSP5 days ago
+12
We truly live in the future... I wonder how long until those become completely autonomous
12
[deleted]5 days ago
+10
[deleted]
10
mad-data5 days ago
+13
Is it a meaningful question? Desirable to whom? Anyway, it will happen regardless whether it is desirable.
13
rangeDSP5 days ago
+4
Undoubtedly. A lot of current anti-drone warfare is about disrupting their uplink to operators. If there's no operator, you just need to release drones with a preloaded mission profile over an area and let it do its thing.
4
Bloodshitnightmare5 days ago
+9
Probably happened yesterday.
9
Primary-Debate-5495 days ago
+2
The Turkish drones, Bayraktar, were famous for having a completely autonomous mode. Ukraine decided never to use it again pretty quickly though. They weren't clear on why.
2
3050_mjondalen5 days ago
+3
Check out the short movie "Slaughterbots" on youtube for a look at how depressive that is
3
FrozenChocoProduce5 days ago
+5
A bit more than a year ago, it used to be basically 50/50 with artillery, which already is a Crazy number...
5
Primary-Debate-5495 days ago
+3
Apparently the change is that Ukraine's killbots (sorry "drones") essentially don't care about artillery or mines. Not even the ground drones. So Russian artillery and tanks just do nothing anymore.
3
DSA3005 days ago
+3
That's insane 😭
3
Sea_Low15795 days ago
+3
Terminator just had the dates wrong.
3
Plastic-Fox02935 days ago
+4
Drones are the future. They make far too much sense in far too many ways to not use them extensively.
But on the bright side, it's not all bad. [Look at that %!?&](https://m.youtube.com/shorts/G6KDeYJri_Y)
4
lugitik_5 days ago
+2
It's a bit akin to WW1 no man's land again. Instead of fear of machine guns it's drones now and tanks seldom help.
2
hornswoggled1115 days ago
+704
>Ukraine tallied Russian casualties at 35,351 last month, with drones causing 96 per cent of them while artillery and small arms fire accounted for the rest. That casualty rate was a 29 per cent increase on February, said Ukraine’s commander in chief.
Lives wasted for an awful purpose. But I barely care.
I'm just hoping the Ukrainian troops are safely hidden away while they continue this grim task.
704
4DollarsALB5 days ago
+290
What do Russians think they are getting out of this?
It boggles my mind that Putin is still so popular
290
Main-Economist28395 days ago
+444
Same reason the US elected Trump. Propaganda works.
444
mysomica5 days ago
+185
Trump almost perfectly embodies the hubris, general traits and collective intellect of the entire nation he represents in my honest opinion. I believe that is why he was elected... twice.
185
SaddamMustaine5 days ago
+78
Because all of those people were justifiably left behind, refuse to live in the current reality, cling to nostalgia that really never even existed, and this is their final extinction burst. They are the last ones to realize that the universe has washed them out.
78
Jaew965 days ago
+11
I hope you’re right, but you’ve got to realize that each generation of those people have been indoctrinating their kids to think exactly the same way. It would be a dangerous mistake to think that their mindset will be going extinct any time soon.
11
Zealousideal_Yak_6715 days ago
+57
nostalgia that really never even existed
Fascism in a nutshell
57
SaddamMustaine5 days ago
+15
Amen
15
mysomica5 days ago
+12
Who knows, maybe it’s a giant collective wake-up call for the yanks now that they’ve seen the grotesque image of themselves.
I suspect not, this theme will continue and their downfall is indeed nigh
12
SaddamMustaine5 days ago
+17
As a yank, I am beyond embarrassed.
17
RaggaDruida5 days ago
+13
Well, nixon, reagan, bush jr.
They've had plenty of moments to wake up, instead every time they go dumber.
13
Hal_Fenn5 days ago
+7
Please tell me this is as dumb as they get? This has to be the floor, right?.... Right!?
7
Jaew965 days ago
+7
Sorry, it looks like they’ve all brought shovels.
7
Monteze5 days ago
+3
Trump posted himself as Jesus healing folks and this supports are still there. I don't think he could *tell* them to stop supporting him at this rate.
3
fuckindeege5 days ago
+4
Goddamn what a comment
4
Negative_Aide_37715 days ago
+7
Half. There is a whole bunch of us way against all of it. See new york city and mamdami. People rejoiced about n the streets
7
mysomica5 days ago
+3
Personally, I don't accept that argument. I do feel sorry for the ordinary, decent, right thinking Amaricans, but Trump is the embodiment of the collective (abomi)nation you've all allowed yourselves to become. This isn't a 4 year swing, it's decades in the making.
3
DJPelio5 days ago
+8
Indeed. Social media propaganda is the most powerful weapon that Russia ever used against USA. It’s more powerful than nukes.
8
vagif5 days ago
+11
Russians don't think. They obey.
11
savuporo5 days ago
+27
> What do Russians think they are getting out of this?
The whole history of russia since the golden horde retreated 600 years ago is nothing but subjugating its neighbours. It's not that they expect to get anything out of it, it's just how they function. It's not called "the prison of nations" for nothing
27
singngthrowaway1775 days ago
+29
Putin used the justifications that the invasion was to protect Russia in the face of NATO eastward expansionism as well as Ukraine’s Nazism and persecution of Russians in the Donbas. I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of Russians still see the war as a just war in defence of their own people and nation against an existential threat.
Their citizens are subject to very selective news and media; it doesn’t surprise me in the slightest if they are still supportive. I think the interesting (and grim) question is at what point in time will the impact of the death toll and the economy outweigh Putin’s justifications.
Stalin’s population was much easier to motivate in WW2 because there was a genuine aggressor clearly in their territory. It’s hard to say how much longer Putin’s simulation of the same imperatives to fight and suffer in this war can last; beyond increased fuel and food prices and perhaps the death of the odd mutual relative or friend, I don’t think the average Russian is even affected by it, and even less so the rich Russians.
29
Ceskaz5 days ago
+8
That and I believe Russians are professional at looking elsewhere when they have a problem.
Subpar standard of almost everything and high inequality of rights and means comes from institutional issues? Nah, it's the west's fault.
What do you think about the war in Ukraine? "I'm not into politics".
8
singngthrowaway1775 days ago
+3
Easy to say when you’re not living there it has to be said. I think people in the west would behave similarly if they were threatened with arrest for dissent.
3
derverdwerb5 days ago
+22
Well, a paid contract for a start. Every one of these Russian soldiers got a sign-on bonus.
I’m willing to bet that they don’t really believe they’re doing the _right_ thing, they’re just trying to profit from violence.
22
The_Frozen_Inferno5 days ago
+3
They are getting what they are told to think they are getting but they’re not actually getting it
3
MattyGWS5 days ago
+3
at this point if putin backs out it will ruin his reputation and it'd be admitting the war was pointless to begin with.
Sadly putin is going with the sunken cost fallacy.
3
Jeffery955 days ago
+3
They are meant to be getting something? This is what Russians do. They live, they go to war and then they come back in a bag
3
KopOut5 days ago
+274
Ukraine’s military is probably going to come out of this war as the most capable for modern land warfare. If you have watched any YouTube videos of these conflicts with the drones, you have seen how effective and simple they are. Ukraine appears to have mastered it, and it does seem like the future of land wars (which is terrifying).
274
echokalos5 days ago
+66
Unfortunately so does russia
66
RainbowAppIe5 days ago
+119
I’m not pro Russia by any means, but Russia is right there with Ukraine with drone warfare. We in the west just see way more footage released from Ukraine than anything out of Russia. Russia was leading the way initially with fiber optic fpv drones. Both sides are suffering greatly from this new kind of warfare.
119
Reqvhio5 days ago
+16
i have an ironically grim hope that drones become so "meta" that foot soldiers will almost stop being deployed/people will just up and reject being a drone target. 96% seems to signal that effectively conventional warfare is near-over.
16
Arlcas5 days ago
+14
Even with the drones you still need people to go get the ground they clear so that the drone teams can keep advancing.
The drones just replaced the conventional artillery in the close support role not yet conventional infantry. This is just a more dystopian WW1 trench warfare scenario for now.
14
Current-Ideal-6974 days ago
+1
Why not ground drones?
1
beached895 days ago
+4
Drones, artillery and bombs can deny area from being used and occupied effectively. But if you ever hope to have that land are be useful for anything, humans are required. If you wish to farm it, manufacture on it, live on it, you need to move people into it. The infantry will be those people until it is deemed safe and secure enough to move civilians into it.
ALLLLL branches and functions of EVERY military exist for one reason. To support infantry.
4
tellsyoutogetfucked5 days ago
+3
The US and Europe are still present and observing what is happening. But the reality is only Russia and Ukraine have actual troops that understand how this type of war functions in practice.
And as we have seen that current US administration is just not that keen to learn from Ukraine because they see themselves as superior to everyone.
3
Skinnwork5 days ago
+11
I found how they let drone units operate independently with a points system really interesting.
11
Pseudanonymius5 days ago
+9
One great reason for letting them join the EU. EU is in itself a defensive alliance, and they would be the greatest asset on that front you could wish.
9
genreprank5 days ago
+13
I already heard some 2A people talking about your right to own drones
13
Asclepius7775 days ago
+11
there's a guy with a video on youtube on how to make 3D printed SAMs with an integrated network that can work with an entire f****** 3D printed ecosystem. the shit is insane
11
fodafoda5 days ago
+5
> 3D printed SAMs with an integrated network that can work with an entire f****** 3D printed ecosystem.
have a link? genuinely curious
5
Lawlcopt0r5 days ago
+8
Yeah, it'd be great if the next school shooting is done remotely and we won't even know who did it /s
8
GenericUsername20565 days ago
+3
See, the neat thing is all the students and teachers will be using drones too to be present remotely. It'll end up being drone-on-drone violence.
3
RecursiveCook5 days ago
+206
It’s sad how normalized this war is in Ukraine. My uncle just tells his kids to look out the window for missiles. My friend who just wants to play some Valheim randomly goes MIA for 3 weeks and comes back like “yeah sorry couple FPV drones were chasing me down no big deal” like wtf???
206
Late-Resolve98715 days ago
+60
Why does that take 3 weeks?
60
hedoeswhathewants5 days ago
+56
Gave them the slip in Panama
56
RecursiveCook5 days ago
+3
He’s in the military, undergoing training but still close enough to the front and gets moved
3
Infamous_Alpaca5 days ago
+17
Humans adapt very quickly to situations. Those comments would have been common in the UK during WWII.
17
Tall-Reputation-95195 days ago
+6
I remember reading the British government ordered millions of cardboard coffins at the start of the Blitz \[German bombing of London\] because they assumed loads of people would kill themselves when faced with the daily horror of potential death.
Turns out humans (everywhere, not just Britain) quickly get used to it and just get on with life.
6
Infamous_Alpaca5 days ago
+6
I don't remember where I read about it, but there is a study about children who were sent to the countryside to be protected from trauma versus those who stayed with their parents. Those who were separated from their parents actually suffered worse long-term trauma than the kids who experienced the explosions firsthand.
6
Long-Euphoric-Life5 days ago
+133
Hmm sending wave after wave of humans at killbots is literally Zapp Brannigans go to strategy! But he knows the killbots have a kill limit, meanwhile… I don’t think the Ukrainian killbots have a limit. Someone check for me?
133
Shafticus5 days ago
+10
He's got the Captains Itch.
10
Primary-Debate-5495 days ago
+9
There is a deleted scene where Bender hangs out with one of the killbots and just hits the reset button on one of them.
9
____DEADPOOL_______5 days ago
+2
All the people he's sending to their deaths makes me feel horrible. I get it's great when a russian soldier who is trying to invade gets killed, but some of those guys really didn't want to be there in the first place. What a horrible war the world is just sitting back and watching.
2
Colbert20205 days ago
+64
The Sting drone is so cool. It can move at 300 MP/H to intercept the Shahed 150 MP/H drone at 2k a cost.
64
No_Conversation_93255 days ago
+212
Looks like Ukraine can fight till the last Russian, eh?
212
fafatzy5 days ago
+35
Seems to be holding some cards
35
Saneless5 days ago
+29
I couldn't imagine losing a war this badly, continuing to do so, when you have the power to stop it immediately
29
kraftdinnerwithsalsa5 days ago
+73
When will the Russian people resist their tyrant? How much blood is too much?
73
4DollarsALB5 days ago
+20
Polls in Russia aren't 100% accurate but everything I have read is that he is still immensely popular which is crazy
20
DysphoriaGML5 days ago
+8
I mean, every opposing voice, even for barely related stuff is heavily suppressed; and whoever could testimony that war is bad get blown up by a drone few seconds after
8
Knotted_Hole695 days ago
+6
Imagine Fox News x10
Thats all they have to watch there and they arnt going in person.
6
Key-Rough-83465 days ago
+42
They won’t. The ones with the means to fight are in Ukraine, well away from Putin. The rest are thankful to not be on the frontlines, and wouldn’t risk themselves by standing up. It’s the same story in the U.S. with this Iran nonsense.
42
mickeyt15 days ago
+26
How does that mirror the Iran situation at all? A tiny fraction of the US armed services are deployed to the region, and the us has suffered only a handful of casualties
26
ApprehensiveLet14055 days ago
+3
Protests don't work without leaders, and the last man who dared to lead protests died vomiting on the prison floor.
3
Safe_Score22225 days ago
+3
It’s mainly volunteers that are being used on the frontlines. Only if the average Russian starts to have problems will anything change.
3
TheModWhoShaggedMe5 days ago
+8
They sort of lost that opportunity about 20 to 25 years ago when he consolidated all power and jailed all the oligarchs who wouldn't bend the knee (seizing their assets in the process). Americans are experiencing that same situation now and will soon lose the opportunity to resist the GOP's tyranny if we don't take significant actions (such as wipe them out in the midterms) this year.
8
jy35 days ago
+44
So many lives lost. This is a nightmare.
44
Primary-Debate-5495 days ago
+5
This is the future. Because, obviously, this will be used by islamic terrorists in the west soon. I mean, they'll execute it pretty badly compared to Ukraine. But it's coming.
5
irishyardball5 days ago
+32
Crazy how as soon as the Ukrainians stopped sharing plans with Trump's admin they started kicking Russia's ass again.
32
d0dger5 days ago
+15
I think the change of Russia's fortunes on the front lines coincides more with them losing access to Starlink than anything to do with intelligence sharing.
15
PulIthEld5 days ago
+30
Begun the drone wars have
30
Miserablecunt285 days ago
+15
Cooked, we are
15
Ancient_Ship29805 days ago
+33
Go Zelensky, go! Go, Ukraine, go! Long live s free and independent Ukraine!
33
bored_ryan25 days ago
+22
And Ukraine is about to get $90 billion more to put towards drones thanks to Orban’s defeat in Hungary.
22
ElectricalGene61465 days ago
+7
We basically have drones taking out drones that are aiming for automated factories building drones. Begun the drone wars have.
7
bitchcoin50005 days ago
+13
Good. And now they've lost their Hungarian stooge, W****-Ban. Newly elected Magyar's statement on Monday - ”Magyar stated, "We cannot ask any country to give up its territory," noting that "Ukraine is the victim in this war"
13
SwedeLostInCanada5 days ago
+21
Oh look, great news on a Monday
21
macross19845 days ago
+9
Record casualties that will keep on creeping up north as Putin refuse to give up what he gained at enormous cost to Russian military hardwares and lives of soldiers, draftee, mercenaries etc.
9
BeatNo45485 days ago
+11
It's the sunken cost fallacy. He can't quit, he's in too deep. It's cost them over $1T.
11
need2cnadia5 days ago
+5
How will Russia’s economy, population and status ever recover from this war?
5
Ganjalfthegreen15 days ago
+4
With time, like always.
4
Positive_Chip61985 days ago
+4
I hope ukraine quadruples drone production this year.
4
This_Way_Comes5 days ago
+4
Damn. Senseless loss of life.
4
Nemodin4 days ago
+3
So many dead kids, for nothing.
Russia does not care for their people, clearly. What an incredible history of military blunders.
3
Shadowlance235 days ago
+7
The scary thing is these casualties are likely dead or permanently incapacitated. A soldier shot in the leg can be patched up and shipped back out, but there's no coming back from a drone blowing off said leg.
7
Perfect_Opposite21135 days ago
+3
From the videos I’ve seen, if one of these gets close enough to blow your leg off it’s likely also going to blow you entirely to bits.
3
Icy_Tune28345 days ago
+9
Imagine being drafted or signing a contract w/ Russia …. only to have you death video recorded by a drone rammed up you ass , Ukraine military then sends that video to your family to watch on a 65in plasma tv .. welcome to the new battlefield..
9
Honest-Estimate49645 days ago
+11
Good. Making money by killing neighbors should sooner or later become unpopular among Russians.
11
hornswoggled1115 days ago
+11
>Ukraine tallied Russian casualties at 35,351 last month, with drones causing 96 per cent of them while artillery and small arms fire accounted for the rest. That casualty rate was a 29 per cent increase on February, said Ukraine’s commander in chief.
Lives wasted for an awful purpose. But I barely care.
I'm just hoping the Ukrainian troops are safely hidden away while they continue this grim task.
11
Winter_Criticism_2365 days ago
+5
This tech is inevitable going to robotic weapons with Ai, air, land, sea and space.
Given the cost of f35 and aircraft carrier groups, this may well save a ton of money..
Not great...
5
ITrageGuy5 days ago
+7
How come every Ukraine war video I see is just one or two guys in an open field getting fragged by one of these things?
Like, don't they have units or platoons or something? Based on social media propaganda, this war is like some 90s dystopian sci fi horror where they send out one or two people at a time to investigate the Killing Fields for some ill defined reason, only to be killed by The Machines shortly after emerging from The Vault. I know someone else knows what I'm talking about.
7
Wooptie_woop5 days ago
+7
With all the battlefield surveillance going on now it is very difficult to build up "critical mass".
7
FullaLead5 days ago
+5
my guess is it's "safer" to have everyone move alone than to lose a whole group at once. If the first guy gets blown up the rest don't follow that route.
5
ITrageGuy5 days ago
+4
Sure, "not bunching" has been a thing since WW1, but I mean you have guys looking like they're trying go cross-country on foot by themselves. I don't understand the logistics of these encounters at all.
4
legbreaker5 days ago
+9
With satellites and drones everywhere it becomes impossible to move in columns. If you mass up you instantly get hit by Himars or artillery.
So the default strategy to avoid that is to break up into small enough units, just pair really, so that it’s not effective to hunt with Himars or artillery.
But then FPV drones come in and are scalable and c**** enough to make hunting each individual pair of Russians is suddenly c**** and effective.
9
Wooptie_woop5 days ago
+2
By saying "not bunching has been a thing since ww1" you're refusing to accept the reality of modern reconnaissance.
2
Wajina_Sloth5 days ago
+2
Instead of 4-10 people per vehicle and sending multiple vehicles, they moved to a “leaking” strategy where you send 1-2 people very sparsely over a long period of time.
Its much harder to spot a single motorcycle compared to an armoured column. So while a couple of dudes might get spotted, eventually they have enough people to clear a trench, or take over some buildings.
2
TrueCPA3055 days ago
+5
Warfare has changed.
5
e430doug5 days ago
+2
Drone warfare doesn’t need concentrations of people or material. The distribution centers can be dozens of basements and garages spread across the country. The IT tech teams don’t even need to be in the same country. Drone warfare means that any US adversary will be able to give out pinprick individual casualties every day. If there are a dozen body bags coming home every day from a US ground invasion it won’t last very long. The US public won’t tolerate it.
2
SnooPuppers86985 days ago
+2
its not enough, dont be fooled by feelgood stories that play into russias hand, ukraine needs aid now more than ever urgently
2
K_R_A_K_E_N-5405 days ago
+2
Lovely to hear
2
Lifeisshort5555 days ago
+2
This war is over for Russia. Once you no longer have an effective way to defend against enemy attack it
is over. Putin will be hanged eventually. And the EU will
be begging Ukraine for military drones.
2
ty_xy5 days ago
+2
What's scary is that Ukraine just captured land using purely drones and unmanned systems. New phase of warfare
196 Comments