.svg){kind=small}
Today, the biggest news comes from Ukraine.
Three and a half years of war are taking their toll on Ukrainian artillery accuracy, because of the constant barrel wear. Fortunately, drones are increasingly able to compensate, as effective strike ranges continue to grow.
According to a Ukrainian artilleryman, the Western-supplied artillery pieces cannot withstand the intensive and continuous use in modern battle since a single artillery piece fires around 30 shells daily, increasing to up to 100 during intense battles lasting several waves. Walls of the barrels get thin due to wear, which is caused by the continuous process of erosion that occurs during firing. This can negatively impact the accuracy of the artillery, forcing the units to use more shells. It also means the barrels need to be changed more frequently, which is costly and puts a strain on the supply lines.
In past years, Ukrainians fired on average between 7,000 to 10,000 rounds per day, which has dropped to 5,000 currently, indicating a near 50 percent reduction in fire rate.
One solution to reduce barrel wear is to use only the minimum amount of charge necessary for the given range, which can minimize erosion. Barrel wear also needs to be constantly calculated to be able to effectively predict barrel life, which can prevent the artilleryman from overusing it. Furthermore, a protective coating is applied to the barrel’s bore to protect it from hot gases. However, these measures are not enough, and Ukraine is running low on barrels.
Footage from the Zaporizhia direction shows a Russian Grad multiple launch rocket system being spotted by a Ukrainian drone, and subsequently targeted by artillery shells unsuccessfully. With the Grad still a threat and artillery fire falling short, Ukrainians struck it with an FPV drone instead, which successfully destroyed the system along with its crew.
This instance shows what the real world effect of barrel wear is, and how artillery rounds have become inaccurate because of it. As shown in the footage, drones are increasingly capable of substituting shortcomings in artillery, already causing approximately 90% of Russian casualties.
FPV drones are primarily used on the frontlines to neutralize enemy vehicles and personnel. FPVs can reach up to 40 kilometers, which is equal to tubed artillery, but carry a much smaller payload and can be used only once. Drones can also be jammed by Russian electronic warfare systems, although fiber-optic drones are becoming increasingly prevalent. FPV’s are much cheaper and easier to produce, while also being more accurate, which in turn compensates for the decreased payload.
Ukraine also uses a wide range of loitering munitions, such as Switchblades and Ram-2X, which are directed by an operator or are semi-autonomous, while some are powered by automatic AI target recognition. They are a great alternative to substitute artillery, because they have a similar range while again being more accurate. They can loiter for up to 40 minutes at max range until they find a target, giving them a higher chance of conducting a successful strike compared to FPV drones, but in turn are more expensive.
Artillery will not be replaced by drones completely, but they can compensate for decreased artillery capabilities. The main issue for Ukrainians is the lack of barrel supplies from partners, and that domestic production cannot meet demand.
Artillery can destroy fixed targets, target armored columns, and suppress the enemy through sheer firepower, while FPV drones and loitering munitions are more tailored to hit individual targets. However, if the Russian assault uses its electronic warfare capabilities effectively, then drones become more difficult to operate.
Still, infantry cannot hold the frontline without fire support and counter-battery fire, which is why big guns remain a core of modern combat operations. Drones cannot fill all artillery roles, so Ukraine and its Western partners must urgently address the issue and ramp up artillery tube production to be able to meet critical frontline needs and maintain the high fire rate.
Overall, the overuse of the Ukrainian artillery systems will pose a threat to their accuracy and the artillerymen operating the system, but with precautions and stable supplies of tubes, the risks can be minimized. Drones alone will not be able to replace artillery, but they will supplement and substitute for its shortcomings, as artillery is still needed to effectively destroy fortified fixed positions. The intensity of the war is likely to remain high, so Ukraine will need to address the barrel wear issue to be able to continue fighting.
.jpg)
Comments