Of the large number of images that reflected the chaos and disorganization that originated the Brexit, few like the one that occurred A 2020 morning. Most televisions opened with an aerial plane that was approaching, revealing what was actually a monstrous row of arrested trucks for days. The divorce between the EU and the United Kingdom was consummated and the fishing was going to be one of the great victims. Over time the industry has been transformed, and in a town in Denmark they have completely turned it over.
The gardener and an unexpected network. Carl Futtrup, a 53 -year -old gardener from Denmark without links to the military world, has become A key piece In the Ukraine defense effort in responding to an unusual request from the front: industrial fishing networks capable of stopping Russian explosive drones. After knowing the need, he contacted fishermen of the town of Thyborønwho They donated 450 tons of networks drag manufactured with thick nylon, originally designed to support tons of open sea fish.
These networks, discarded after Brexit for being useless due to the Loss of access to British waterthey became a vital resource for Ukrainian troops. As? In the front they are placed on fortified positions, armored vehicles and logistics routes to intercept drones and avoid direct attacks, even stopping drones with active propellers or reducing the impact of their explosions.
Ordinary solution to a technological threat. As drones dominate the battlefieldthese low -cost networks have become An essential defense against increasingly sophisticated threats, such as guided by fiber optic that escape traditional electronic interference systems. Let us think that heavy networks not only offer physical protection, but are also reusable even after explosions, and their effectiveness has promoted a growing demand by the Ukrainian units.
Some brigades have come to line trees, tunnels and vehicles with these meshes, and it is estimated that each unit may require between 50 and 80 tons of network per month. Russia, meanwhile, has also begun to use them with variable results. The need is so great that the current supply barely reaches to meet the demand, and many battalions are still waiting for deliveries.
From the Danish port to the Ukrainian front. They counted in Insider that Futtrup has achieved another 600 tons of additional networks contacting more Danish ports, although the cost of transport is high: about 90,000 euros for the second shipment, with each truck carrying up to 20 tons at a cost of some some 3,000 euros per trip. Although the networks have been donated for free, maintaining logistics depends on voluntary financing and government support, so Futtrup has initiated efforts to obtain funds in Denmark and Sweden.
The problem is that this source of networks is not sustainable in the long term. According to the Danish politician Carsten Bach, the strict environmental laws of the country They demand to discard or recycle This type of equipment, which means that there will be no continuous reservation. Most of them were stored by fishermen in the hope of re -slaining in British waters, but over time they were forced to detach them.
Redefine in war. The Swedish organization CHANGE OPERATIONwhich collaborates with brigades in Ukraine, has confirmed that Danish networks are already in use by at least 13 units, although it warns that the supply is insufficient. With the access to the Black Sea and the Azov Sea largely blocked by Russian forces, importation is the only way to get more networks.
In this regard, a commander in the Donetsk region pointed out that his battalion needs three truck charges (Around 60 tons) every month, and that the installation of a single load can take three to four days. Faced with this demand, Operation Change already seeks alternatives in organizations that clean the Swedish coasts.
Impact from simplicity. Jennifer Kavanagh, expert of the Think Tank Defense Prioritiesthis phenomenon highlighted as an example of how war in Ukraine has democratized combat modern. Faced with the traditional approach to military powers to invest in advanced technologies, the case of fishing networks shows that simple, cheap and available solutions can have a decisive impact on the battlefield.
It seems clear that networks are not a viable option for all armies, but they do represent A strategic lesson about the need to evaluate less complex and expensive options in future wars. Meanwhile, Futtrup continues its personal effort to maintain the supply. Its immediate objective is ensure 50,000 euros To hold the transport chain, and ensure that it will continue to send networks while available in Denmark. For him, the distance between Copenhagen and Ukraine is not an excuse. “Ukraine is part of Europe, and is only 1,250 kilometers from here”, holds.
His initiative has not only contributed a concrete solution in the front, but has also symbolized how civil solidarity can become a vital shield in the midst of the most technological war in our era.
Image | Carl Futtrup, Commander, us, Grid-Aendal
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