Ukraine isn’t laughing at the joker. In fact, they’re running from him. Ukraine’s best and brightest got buzzed by a 15 inch drone and acted accordingly. They gave up. The surrendered, leaving Volodymyr Zelenskyy no choice but to demand the US Congress give him more money.
The utilization of Russian Joker FPV drones has led to a reported incident where a battalion of Ukrainian fighters felt compelled to surrender, claimed by Dmitry Kuzyakin, the general director of the Center for Integrated Unmanned Solutions developer, in an interview with Sputnik..
“Probably no one will be able to repeat this ‘record.’ It was not a Bradley, Humvee, or even Leopard 2, but 60 soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces who had to surrender after witnessing firsthand the impact of mass FPV drone usage. In other words, one small drone ‘captured’ an entire company of Ukrainian forces,” he said when asked about the most significant target the Jokers hit on the battlefield.
Throughout its existence, the company has dedicated itself to producing a series of Joker combat FPV drones that have garnered attention for their innovative design and cutting-edge technology. The most recent addition to this lineup, the Joker-10, boasts impressive capabilities such as the ability to effortlessly carry a payload of up to five kilograms and achieve speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour (an impressive feat that soars up to 200 kilometers per hour without any additional weight).
As reported by TASS, the Russian military has reportedly developed a new “Joker” drone with the ability to remain dormant for extended periods before being remotely activated for potential operations.
The drone, known as the “Joker,” can remain in a state of dormancy before attacking, as stated by the Russian news outlet TASS. Designed to evade electronic countermeasures, the “Joker” drone could be deployed in advance of an attack and activated by its operator hours, days, or weeks later to carry out aerial strikes.
A tool specifically designed for hibernating FPV drones from the Joker line, including its top model, Ultimatum, has been developed and successfully implemented at the Central Design Bureau. This groundbreaking technology enables a drone equipped with a hibernator to strategically position itself for an attack and enter a state of dormancy that can last for several weeks, ensuring maximum stealth and surprise.
The director general of the Center for Integrated Unmanned Solutions, Dmitry Kuzyakin, emphasized the strategic advantage of deploying these dormant drones in elevated positions such as dominant heights or rooftops. By already being in position when needed, these advanced drones eliminate the need to cover the distance to their target, enabling swift activation and execution of attacks with unparalleled precision.
Kuzyakin further elaborated that the utilization of the hibernation tool plays a crucial role in significantly cutting down the preparation time needed to prime the device for an impending attack.
This strategic approach not only saves precious flying time but also minimizes the window between activating the drone and launching an assault, effectively thwarting any attempts to deploy countermeasure systems. The innovative method allows a single FPV pilot to strategically position, activate, and systematically deploy up to 15 dormant drones in succession, amplifying their tactical advantage.
Kuzyakin explained the current military strategy that the Ukrainian forces are utilizing, focusing on their heavy dependence on a more traditional and seemingly outdated line of defense. He underscored their readiness for what they anticipate as “conventional warfare,” showcasing a potentially risky approach in the face of rapidly evolving modern conflict scenarios.
“Our fighters, whom we trained and equipped, instead of starting to ‘play by the rules,’ didn’t engage in battle but let FPV operators come into play, which immediately ‘unraveled’ the second line of Ukrainian defense. Ukrainian soldiers on the front line realized that resistance was simply pointless. Their mass surrender is the main trophy in the work of our Center for Integrated Unmanned Solutions,” the developer said.
George Eliason
