Robots with flamethrows fight against shotguns

That the war in Ukraine is breaking all the molds of the war tactics of conflicts of the past, is out of any doubt. Interestingly, the battle that is fought is a test field where the more advanced technologies of military artillery, with other ideas that worked in such distant contests Like World War I. In fact, to the Ukrainian application of the “Davis Canyon”, Russia has replicated with a plane of the same era.

And, in the meantime, the first flamethrower robot appears.

Reinvent the obsolete. As we said, Russia has resorted to such an unusual method as revealing the growing pressure that Ukraine exerts with its unmanned air attacks: adapting the old training plane YAK-52 as a rudimentary anti -Didish platform. As? Armed with A semi -automatic shotgun and a multispectral sensor under the wing.

The aircraft, now called YAK-52B2, has been redesigned to detect and knock down long-range drones that fly over the Russian territory, especially those of unidirectional attack such as the AN-196 Liutyi or non -manned versions of ultraliger planes such as Airrakt A-22used by Ukraine to hit the enemy borders. This adaptation remembers the experiments of the Soviet era with the YAK-52B, a counterinsurgent version armed with guns and rockets that never reached serial production, but now finds a Luck of rebirth Forced by the new conditions of the battlefield.

Improvised solution. The Appearance of YAK-52B2 It responds to the growing limitations of traditional Russian anti -aircraft systems, increasingly saturated or deployed in the front. Putin himself publicly admitted, after a wave of attacks in May 2024, that Moscow’s aerial defense worked in shape “Satisfactory” but improvable. In this context, a slow, cheap plane, with good maneuverability at low altitude and capable of operating from makeshift airfields can offer an additional layer of punctual defenseespecially useful for protecting critical infrastructures away from the front.

The use of electrooptic sensors and an on -board shooting computer allows nightly or adverse climatic conditions, just when Ukrainian drones are usually launched. However, the chosen armament (A 12 caliber shotgun, probably a Semi -automatic saiga) raises serious operational doubts due to its extremely limited reach, especially In combat Aire-Airewhere shooting at such a short distance can involve collisions with debris or the premature detonation of the enemy drone.

A new phase of unmanned war. At the same time that Russia has used its modified Yak-52, an unprecedented evolution of drones has appeared. Ukraine has approved officially the Incorporation of Krampusa non -manned land vehicle (UGV), who has earned the nickname of “ruling robot” for its ability to launch thermobárica rounds RPV-16an ammunition that disperses fuel in the air and lights it, generating a devastating explosion.

This authorization places it among the more than 80 designs of terrestrial drones already supported by kyiv, consolidating a tendency of technological diversification that seeks to maximize the operational autonomy of the Ukrainian army. The Krampus, of Local designit has been conceived as a robust platform for missions so much offensives as defensive against infantry and light armored vehicles, and is driven by two silent engines that allow it to cross complicated land such as thick forests, swamps or slopes, without losing mobility under extreme weather conditions.

Lethal effect With the ability to be transported in the back of a truck, this hybrid incorporates a video camera and even Four RPV-16 pitchers On a single use, which suggests that the robot can shoot those four times before requiring replenishment. Although the ministry has not revealed its operational autonomy or the amount of ammunition that it can load, it has confirmed that its control systems are designed to Resist electronic interferencewhich is crucial in a saturated front of electronic warfare.

Your battery also allows you to remain in motion for several hours or stay in waiting mode For long periods, which increases its tactical utility in prolonged or ambush operations.

Advantages of weight and permanence. The incorporation of krampus, what’s doubt, is an evolution (Another one) In the use of drones, traditionally focused on aerial vehicles, taking advantage of the unique advantages of the UGVas its ability to transport major explosive loadsits usefulness for mining cleaning missions, or even the evacuation of injured in extreme situations.

This versatility has caused Ukrainian units to develop Your own UGV models With mounted machine guns, capable of operating at distances of up to 20 kilometers and normally coordinated with aerial recognition drones to detect mines, traps or enemy positions.

Technological mutation: the past. The appearance of Russian Yak-52 “Vitaminate”together with the Krampus Ukranian They are faithful mirrors of what is happening in the front: past and future intermingle. The conversion of Yak-52 in a kind of drone hunter reflects the deeply adaptive and decentralized character of modern conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

In the absence of clear technological superiority, both sides are forced to reuse available resources with creativity and urgency. As we have told before, the proliferation of Cheap and effective drones He has caused even air forces to be forced to rethink their doctrines.

Technological mutation: The future. On the other sidewalk, the adoption of robots, Like Krampusit is not only a sample of technical innovation, but a direct measure for replace soldiers in the most dangerous areas of the front. In a context where human casualties accumulate and the exhaustion of personnel is a constant, the UGV represent an alternative to maintain the offensive without depending exclusively of human sacrifice.

Its implementation also sends a clear message about the evolution of the conflict: the war in Ukraine is no longer only a territorial or geopolitical dispute, but an extreme laboratory where the role of military technology of the 21st century is redefined … with help of the last century.

Image | Defense Ministry of Ukraine, Voidwanderer

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