28 September 2023, 10:35 PM
We at the front
constantly think about solutions that could turn the tide of the war. Here are
some of my thoughts on this topic from the frontline.
First, FPV drones are playing an increasingly important role in the war. Now they are not just burning enemy equipment, but are performing another vital function – they are “smoking” them out of their positions. Even if the Russian strongholds are well built, they still cannot withstand the load of thermobaric charges that the drone brings to the stronghold’s entrance as accurately as possible.
Members of assault brigades, with whom we are constantly exchanging experience, say that with the right drone fire, attack aircraft enter positions already empty of the enemy and take them virtually without losses.
Second, FPV drones are becoming an independent and modern type of weapon. It does not replace artillery but is much more effective at some tasks. There are several factors here. The first is its low cost (starting at $300). The second is its accuracy. At least in our unit, the statistics of one UAV strike team outperforms a mortar team by several times.
Third, and most importantly, almost all FPV drones are of our Ukrainian production. This means we don’t have to wait for deliveries from abroad, we don’t have to wait for foreign governments to make decisions, and we don’t have to waste time on various commissions and logistics.
We must give dozens of our domestic manufacturers the opportunity and conditions to produce tens of thousands of drones daily, not 15,000 per month.
It is unnecessary to describe the positive effect on the frontline that a significant increase in the use of drones can bring, especially given that each brigade has already formed units specifically for attack UAVs. Soldiers are increasingly gaining experience in using drones and sharing it with other units.
The point is that the government should create conditions for this industry to “break out” into intelligence, as they say.
The main problem for manufacturers is that they need resources to scale up production. First of all, financial resources. They need to increase production space, expand staff, and, most importantly, hire more engineers to assemble drones and purchase components for drones.
We will have to win with our own weapons, which we must learn to produce ourselves
Young manufacturers have already invested their resources in existing production. The question is: where can they get additional funds?
The government should urgently approve a program to help manufacturers working for defense, starting with tax exemptions and ending with loans from state-owned banks at low interest rates and grants from the state. Most importantly, government orders for the drones themselves. The industry cannot exist solely on volunteer resources. It’s one thing when we are unsatisfied with the supply of weapons from Western aid. But it’s another thing when we don’t do enough ourselves to manufacture weapons that have proven highly effective at the front.
The titanium factor
Now for another topic that, for some reason, is not discussed in society.
In my previous life, when I headed the State Environmental Inspectorate, we inspected titanium ore mining companies. Now, I am not talking about environmental protection, but about the fact that Ukraine has significant reserves of titanium raw materials.
I also remember when the inspection included an inspection at Zaporizhzhia Titanium and Magnesium Plant, which has a unique ability to produce titanium sponge.
Here at the front, I learned that the titanium component is actively used in almost all types of modern weapons.
Armored Bradley vehicles can withstand a hit by an anti-tank mine without the crew inside even getting contused. There have even been situations when a Bradley was hit by a T-72 tank, and the armor held up.
The 777 high-precision howitzer weighs four tons less than similar systems, giving it additional maneuverability. Abrams tanks are equipped with light but reliable armor. If it were not for titanium, all these weapons with their advantages would not exist.
We urgently need to use titanium ore not as a resource that we sell to foreigners abroad. Instead, we must create enterprises to manufacture components for the defense industry from titanium using 3D printers and other modern technologies. Production can be launched very quickly; manufacturers and experts say it will take six months or more. Again, if the state is interested in this, it must approve a special program and give a full green light to businesses in this area along with government protection.
A year ago, I heard an interesting opinion from a combat general that foreign weapons would be enough for us to hold the line and prevent the enemy from seizing new territories. But we will have to win with our own weapons, which we must learn to produce ourselves and in sufficient quantities.
Every day at the front, we hope that those in the rear, in government offices, are spending energy and effort just like we are. We hope that hundreds of thousands of drones or necessary military parts made of titanium will leave the assembly line of a Ukrainian enterprise and go to the front.
We are waiting…
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