Radio jammers: the gap between theory and reality

　　The design concept of radio signal jammers is to disrupt the normal operation of drones or even crash them by emitting radio noise to cut off the signal connection between drones and their operators. Wifi jammer This theory seems simple, but it is challenging to implement effectively in complex battlefield environments. In actual combat, the attack paths and patterns of drones are often unpredictable, and the Russian-designed jammers have failed to adapt to these changes.GPS jammer

　　An angry Russian blogger exposed the problems of a $2,400 multi-frequency radio jammer on social media. The design errors of the device made it almost impossible to fight against drones. GSM jammerThe blogger emphasized that these jammers gave frontline soldiers an unrealistic sense of security, causing them to die in combat. What's more, the blogger pointed out that this is not the first time that similar jammers have failed on the Ukrainian battlefield. The Russian jammers stolen by Ukrainian troops a few months ago were also proven to be almost useless.

Design flaws: antennas pointing to the sky and overheated equipment

　　The blogger analyzed the various design errors of this device in detail. One of the most obvious problems is the improper direction of the antenna. Ideally, the antenna of the jammer should be able to broadcast radio noise in multiple directions to deal with drone threats from all directions. However, the antenna of this jammer is mostly fixed upward, which makes it only work in a specific and narrow airspace. Ukrainian drones, especially low-flying FPV (first-person perspective) drones, often attack from the side, directly bypassing the effective range of the jammer.

　　The fixedness of the antenna further exacerbates this problem. For jamming FPV drones, the device designers seem to assume that the drone will appear "precisely" above the jammer, however, the reality on the battlefield is far from this. The attack methods of FPV drones are flexible and varied, and this antenna design obviously fails to take this into account.

　　Worse, the cooling system design of this jammer is extremely simple. Radio jammers generate a lot of heat during operation, and usually require complex heat dissipation mechanisms to prevent the equipment from overheating. However, the Russian jammer is only equipped with a simple fan, and the casing where the fan is located has no vents. This means that the fan not only fails to effectively dissipate heat, but also causes the device to heat up rapidly in a short period of time. The blogger described this phenomenon as the device quickly becoming a "blast furnace", not only the casing is too hot to touch, but the electronic components inside are also degraded or even damaged by the high temperature.

The dilemma of Russian soldiers: false hope

　　The failure of this jammer is not just a problem with the equipment itself. More seriously, the dependence of frontline soldiers on these devices has become their fatal weakness. The blogger angrily pointed out that Russian soldiers mistakenly believed that these jammers could protect them from the threat of drones without realizing the defects of the equipment. This false hope has led to the deaths of many soldiers, especially when they were caught off guard and were accurately hit by drones.

　　Ukrainian drone operators have carried out large-scale precision strikes on Russian targets with their low-cost equipment - drones that cost only about $500 each. Ukraine deploys tens of thousands of drones every month, forming an omnipresent threat on the battlefield. Although the Russian military has a large number of radio jammers, their design flaws and operational limitations prevent them from effectively responding to Ukrainian drone attacks. Bloggers denounced these devices for not only failing to provide protection, but indirectly causing casualties among Russian soldiers.

Drones’ devastating blow to Russian armored forces

　　According to analyst Andrew Perpetua, the Ukrainian army destroyed more than 100 Russian armored vehicles on a single day in June, while Ukraine itself lost less than 30. This loss gap is shocking, and drones played a vital role in it. Especially those FPV drones operated by Ukrainian operators, which are often able to accurately strike targets when Russian jammers fail.

　　Perpetua pointed out that of the approximately 100 attacks on Russian vehicles, more than 70 were carried out using FPV drones worth less than $500. The low cost and high efficiency of these drones allowed the Ukrainian army to continuously launch attacks on Russia on the battlefield, while Russia's defense equipment repeatedly failed. This not only highlights the backwardness of Russian technology and equipment, but also reflects the huge potential of drones in modern warfare.

　　The blogger also severely criticized the Russian companies that manufactured these ineffective jammers and the social media influencers who promoted these devices. He pointed out that these people sacrificed the lives of Russian soldiers for money, and peddled non-functional equipment, exposing soldiers to great danger on the battlefield. Ukrainian drone operators can even fly over and "laugh" at these "high-tech waste" after finding that these devices are not threatening.