In theory, the principle of anti-drone radio signal jammers is to cut off the communication between drones and their operators by emitting strong radio jamming signals, thereby affecting the control and navigation of drones. Wifi jammer However, the actual battlefield environment is complex and changeable, especially the flexible and diverse flight strategies adopted by Ukrainian drones, and Russian jamming equipment has not adapted well to these changes.GPS jammer
A well-known Russian blogger revealed this. He pointed out that the multi-frequency jammers worth $2,400 sold by Russia not only failed to achieve the expected results, but also gave soldiers a false sense of security due to major errors in design and manufacturing, which ultimately threatened their lives. The blogger specifically mentioned that this is not the first time that this device has failed on the battlefield. A few months ago, Ukrainian troops stole a Russian tank equipped with a similar jammer and also found it almost ineffective.
Upward antenna and fragile design
The blogger conducted a detailed analysis of the design of this radio jammer and pointed out several significant flaws. The first is that the direction of the antenna is not designed properly. An ideal droneGSM jammer should be able to broadcast radio signals in multiple directions, covering a large area, thereby interfering with drones in multiple directions and altitudes. However, most of the antennas of this jammer are fixed upward, which means that it can only cover the situation where the drone flies directly above.
Most of Ukraine's FPV (first-person perspective) drones attack from low altitude or from the side, and the upward antenna cannot cope with this flight path at all. As a result, the effective range of the jammer is extremely limited, and its role on the battlefield is greatly reduced. Worse, the fixed design of the antenna means that the device can only deal with drones in a small area directly above the jammer, which is almost impossible on a flexible and changeable battlefield.
In addition, the blogger also pointed out the heat dissipation problem of the device. Radio jammers generate a lot of heat when they are working, so an efficient cooling system is needed to ensure the continuous operation of the equipment. However, this jammer is only equipped with a simple fan, and there are no vents on the device casing. This means that the fan cannot exhaust the heat, and the device quickly overheats in a short period of time, and the internal electronic components are damaged. The blogger described this phenomenon as the "blast furnace effect", where the device casing quickly becomes overheated and the operator cannot even touch it.
False hope and the plight of soldiers
More worryingly, Russian soldiers on the front line are too dependent on these devices, resulting in their lack of response measures when faced with drone attacks. The blogger pointed out that many soldiers mistakenly believe that these jammers can protect them from drone threats. However, when these devices fail to work, soldiers are often caught off guard and eventually become targets of drone attacks.
Ukrainian drone operators have carried out precision strikes on Russian armored forces on the battlefield with low-cost FPV drones. Each FPV drone costs about $500, and Ukraine deploys tens of thousands of drones every month. These drones frequently launch attacks, and Russia's anti-drone jammers are unable to effectively stop their actions. Instead of providing actual protection, these devices indirectly increased the risk of casualties for soldiers.
The devastating impact of drones
According to analyst Andrew Perpetua, the Ukrainian army destroyed more than 100 Russian armored vehicles in one day, while Ukraine itself lost less than 30. This huge gap is shocking, and drones are undoubtedly a key factor in this result. Perpetua pointed out that more than 70% of Russian vehicles were destroyed by FPV drones, and the precision strike capability of these drones had a devastating impact on Russia's armored forces.
