20-channel antennas and AI terminal guidance: how Russia is bypassing Ukrainian EW

Russia constantly changes its means of attack to complicate the work of Ukrainian electronic warfare: it increases the number of channels in UAV antennas, expands the use of fiber optics, and develops AI-based terminal guidance.

Why the Russians are increasing the number of channels in navigation antennas. According to the co-founder of EW manufacturer Contra-Drone, Tymofii Yurkov, one of the main recent trends is the Russians’ gradual increase in the use of fiber-optic UAVs. At the same time, the adversary is changing the frequencies at which drones operate, adding new ones to make them harder for Ukrainian EW systems to intercept. This specifically concerns the navigation systems of large drones, including the "Shaheds" — Russia is increasing the number of modules in CRPA antennas for GNSS navigation. According to Contra-Drone, the Russians have so far purchased large batches of 20-channel systems from China. Yurkov notes that at the start of the full-scale war such antennas did not exist — ordinary GPS antennas were used, which were suppressed by electronic noise at the relevant frequency. "The first CRPA antennas were four-module. Then eight-channel appeared, 12-channel and 16-channel systems. Currently, according to our information, the Russians have purchased large batches of 20-channel systems from China," Yurkov explained. In his assessment, this directly affects the construction of protection around energy facilities — to counter such systems it is necessary to increase the number of means for jamming navigation. "Around energy facilities it is necessary to create a large multi-module system in order to timely overpower the navigation channels of missiles, of KABs, and of UAVs like the ‘Shahed,’" the interlocutor said. Also read: Why ballistic missiles and KABs are harder to jam than drones: explanation from an EW developer Can EW counter automatic terminal guidance of FPV drones onto cars? Another new threat, Yurkov calls the use of artificial intelligence for terminal guidance of FPV drones onto cars. In that case the operator first locks onto the target, after which the drone continues the guidance automatically. The problem is that after handing guidance over to artificial intelligence, EW may lose effectiveness, although for now, according to Yurkov, such cases are not yet common. He says the automatic terminal guidance system still has significant shortcomings — the drone often loses the target, especially when the vehicle moves over terrain without strong visual contrast. "The system is not sufficiently developed yet, but we see significant changes and understand that it will continue to develop," Yurkov says.

Earlier reports described how interceptor drones hunt jet-powered "Shaheds" and why this task becomes more difficult as the speed of enemy UAVs increases. It also explained whether it is possible to effectively shoot down the "Banderol" drone-rockets, which, despite their vulnerability to EW, Russia is using increasingly actively against Ukrainian cities.