How has the market for anti-drone systems changed, what new threats are emerging, and why are modern defense systems quickly losing their effectiveness? Natalia Kotlyar, Deputy Director for Business Development at the "Vector" Research Institute, part of the "Ruselectronics" holding, shared her insights on these issues. According to her, significant changes have occurred in Russia's drone security sector over the past year. The market has become more organized and professional.
Experts note that both manufacturers and customers now have a better understanding of the specific tasks involved in protecting facilities from unmanned aerial vehicles. This has allowed for clearer formulation of technical specifications, which, in turn, has improved interaction between the parties.
In the past, clients often tried to install as much equipment as possible without carefully assessing its usefulness. Such actions not only increased costs but also created problems with technological obsolescence, as the equipment quickly became outdated.
Manufacturers were forced to explain that excessive equipment does not always increase the level of security but rather complicates the updating process in the future.
Currently, clients are increasingly leaning towards a reasonable approach to security. They prefer to implement protection measures gradually, in stages. This approach allows them to complete one level of protection and only then move on to the next. This helps to avoid technological lag. This is especially important in a rapidly changing threat landscape, where new types of unmanned aerial vehicles require constant updates to security systems.
New threats are constantly emerging in the field of unmanned aerial vehicle defense. This is due to the development and implementation of new types of drones, such as mother drones, drones based on fiber optic technologies, and devices with automatic guidance.
Why the most modern anti-drone defense systems quickly become ineffective
Defense systems created to counter previous types of threats cannot effectively resist new challenges. This underscores the need for continuous improvement and updating of defense systems.
Despite the development of technology, traditional threats such as object capture, explosions, exposure to hazardous substances, and disruption of production processes still pose a danger. However, the ways in which these threats are implemented are constantly changing, requiring security services to take a more adaptive and thorough approach to protecting facilities.
Some organizations still do not realize the danger posed by unmanned aerial vehicles and believe that their facilities will not be targeted for attack. However, the experience of Russian and foreign companies shows that such assumptions can be extremely risky.
It is impossible to predict the strategy of an attack using drones, so all strategically important facilities must be reliably protected.
There are several ways to protect facilities: guarding the facility itself, perimeter security, and "blanket" security. Although the latter method requires large expenditures, it is not always the most effective because it quickly becomes obsolete and requires large investments.
A combined approach that combines different methods of protection seems more reasonable. This reduces risks and lowers costs.
I am most impressed by the concept of the so-called "zoo," that is, combining different defense systems. Of course, if you have prudently made mechanical protection, for example, put up nets, they will certainly be useful and one of the effective means of "closing" dangerous areas at the facility. But the basis of anti-drone defense remains the means of their detection and suppression.
Interceptor drones are becoming increasingly popular, but there are no real working solutions yet.
Nevertheless, I believe that we will see them in the near future, and in large numbers
The most effective systems
Among the most effective methods of countering drones are the "SERP" electronic warfare systems, which were developed at the "Vector" Research Institute. These systems provide both prevention and active counteraction to attacks using unmanned aerial vehicles. Their reliability and effectiveness have been repeatedly tested in practice.
Recently, the market for drone defense technologies has seen a trend towards strict restriction of access to information. Specialists prefer to discuss key aspects at closed meetings in order to maintain the confidentiality of data on security systems. Disclosure of such information can have serious consequences, including a threat to national security.
Natalia Kotlyar draws attention to the fact that the publication of confidential information about concluded contracts in open sources is unacceptable.
It is quite obvious that no sane person will publicly say what security systems and where exactly he uses. For objective reasons, this is completely confidential data, and its disclosure is simply a crime. The same goes for disputes around the publicity of tenders. If they are completely open, then they are equivalent to a "open secret".
Earlier, the P. G. Demidov Yaroslavl State University began developing miniature analogues of electromechanical microwave switches designed for small-sized radar systems and communication systems for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
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