The war in Ukraine has become a testing ground for fibre-optic cable drones that aren’t susceptible to jamming systems, and the technology could change security measures worldwide.

Russian forces have invaded Ukraine from land, air and sea with strikes causing widespread damage. Global leaders have condemned the move and imposed sanctions.

Ukraine Invasion

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has provided a unique environment for testing new drone technology that is resistant to traditional jamming systems. Ukrainian military personnel, identified only by their call signs, have been deploying these drones at Russian targets, showcasing a model that some consider revolutionary. Notable among the new technologies is a fiber-optic cable drone, which trails a cable to the base station, thus maintaining an uninterrupted signal and bypassing all jamming efforts.

Both Ukraine and Russia have employed small, affordable drones in their strategies, but traditional models are vulnerable to jammers that disturb radio communication. The cable drones, however, maintain connectivity through the physical fiber-optic connection, making them immune to such disruptions. These drones also have the capability to carry munitions like grenades, adding to their tactical advantage. Vlad, a drone designer identified only by his first name, demonstrated how these drones are engineered for extended flight distances, with fiber-optic cables unwinding seamlessly.

As the technology advances, the implications extend beyond the battlefield. Instances like the Super Bowl in the U.S., where concerns about rogue drones led to the preparation of jamming equipment, illustrate the limitations of conventional methods against cable drones. Shooting them down, often impractical in public spaces, is currently the most effective countermeasure. The development of these drones marks an evolution in warfare, with Ukraine serving as a significant experimental ground. 



Ukraine testing drones immune to jamming systems

These soldiers, who were only identifying by their Ukrainian military call signs, have been launching drones at Russian targets for much of the war. Now they're testing a new model which some believe could be a game changer. So far with this technology we can bypass all jamming systems, says one soldier who goes by the call sign Krab. If you look carefully, trailing behind a thin fiber-optic cable, it stays attached to the base station, giving an uninterrupted signal. Ukraine and Russia have increasingly used small, relatively inexpensive drones to target each other. But drone jammers which interrupt the radio communication between the drone and the operator can cause them to go off course. Cable drones, which can also carry munitions like grenades, are immune to that. Inside this production facility, Vlad, who were only identifying by his first name for security reasons, shows how he's designing the drones to get them to fly further. And so the cable would just unwrap? On the drone we have not any signals which can be scanned by Russians. And the only surefire way to bring them down is to shoot them out of the sky. Troismothers is a former U.S. Marine who's been working to help test the drones. But as the technology develops, it will have wider implications. Last year when U.S. officials were concerned that rogue drones could target the Super Bowl, they had jamming equipment on standby. That won't work with cable drones. And shooting them out of the sky is often not an option in crowded public places. You're not putting this genie back in the bottle. They're already looking for effective countermeasures to go against fiber. And it is, you know, warfare always evolved. And that's evident in Ukraine, which has become a key testing ground. Briar Stewart, CBC News, Kharkiv.

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Ukraine Invasion