Ukraine's maritime drones redefine Black Sea warfare: a strategic blow to Russia
Ukraine's military has dealt a significant blow to Russian forces in the Black Sea, leveraging unmanned boats armed with air-to-air missiles, effectively turning the tide in the ongoing conflict. The success of these unmanned systems has left Russian occupiers at a loss, forcing the strategic retreat of their naval assets into bays and bases. Russian military blogger Ilya Tumanov writes on the Fighterbomber Telegram channel that the Ukrainian deployment of these armed boats has dramatically shifted the dynamics in the Black Sea.
Theoretically, Russia's forces could target these maritime drones in daylight and fair weather conditions using jet aviation and attack aircraft. However, the Russian fleet is unable to protect itself from these systems in open waters, finding limited defense only in harbors and bases—escalating the sea battle to a new level.
Ukraine's military is poised to advance marine technology, potentially threatening Russian forces with unprecedented systems like drone carriers, electronic warfare configurations, and multiple launch rocket systems. Due to their speed and maneuverability, the drone boats are nearly invulnerable to attacks from other FPV drones or ATGMs.
The feasibility of launching these FPV drones from helicopters is impaired as they are destabilized by rotor wash, coupled with the ongoing threat of them being shot down. Launching from land also limits their reach. As for ships, they risk exposure unless docked. Ukrainian strategy of a "mosquito fleet" appear to have outmaneuvered that of large Russian naval forces in the Black Sea, with unmanned boats taking the lead over small vessels. Additionally, the introduction of underwater drones awaits the resolution of underwater remote-control challenges. A temporary solution to the maritime drone issue might be achievable by disrupting control frequencies, such as Starlink
or those of other satellite communications. Yet, despite three years of war, neither side has succeeded in effectively deploying these tactics. Fiber optic control systems are also developing rapidly.
In a span of just two days, Russian forces lost three Mi-8 helicopters over the Black Sea. Ukraine employed maritime drones armed with R-73 and FPV missiles in their successful strike. News of Ukraine's innovative surface boat, featuring a wide chassis designed to house two R-73 air-to-air missiles, first appeared in May 2024.