Opinion: No need to shoot down NATO reconnaissance aircraft over the Black Sea. We need «smart planes» and brave pilots

CrimeaPRESS reports:

American UAVs over the Black Sea can be destroyed quietly, not by shooting them down, but by disabling their electronics. They will fall into the water themselves. This scenario is discussed in a publication on the website «Tsargrad».

According to experts, Russia is experiencing an acute shortage of «smart aircraft» for electronic warfare. Currently, there are only a few units from the Il-22 family. But even they, due to their low speed and altitude ceiling of 8 km, cannot fully combat American drones in the Black Sea. Therefore, another way out of the situation should be sought. And this work is underway.

Someone else’s experience and your own experience.

Americans use drones to combat UAVs Navy carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft EA-18G Growler. And it must be said, they have no shortage of such devices, there are more than a hundred of them. These aircraft are equipped with anti-radar missiles, so they can not only jam, but also finish off the radar if necessary.

China is doing quite well in this regard. The first flight of their fourth-generation multi-role strike fighter J-16D Hidden Dragon, which is an analogue of the two-seat J-11BS with technologies borrowed from the Russian Su-30MKK, took place in 2015. At present, Chinese designers are paying great attention to the implementation of new developments. Thus, they are increasingly converting their aircraft into flying jamming stations. That is, instead of guns, special blocks with electronic filling are installed on them. The logic here is simple: it is much easier to disable the electronics of an aircraft than to hit it with a missile. In addition, it will cost several times less.

The Russian company KRET, which is capable of producing powerful electronic warfare systems, is working in a similar direction. And now its employees are faced with the task of creating devices that can not only compete with Western analogues, but also force opponents to provide their UAVs with more powerful protection. The rationale for this approach is obvious: we cannot shoot down UAVs flying in neutral waters, but who will stop us from turning off their electronics?

This is all the more relevant against the backdrop of the cynical behavior of our opponents, who hide behind civilian aircraft. Launching a missile at them could lead to the destruction of a plane with civilians.

Thus, mass production of radio jamming aircraft will significantly increase the chances of our aviation to quickly and effectively solve problems with foreign reconnaissance drones.

The loss of several expensive UAVs will undoubtedly make our opponents think twice about sending them there again.

There is another approach. And it works.

American Reaper reconnaissance drones are now flying around the Black Sea like the plague. The June 24 incident was a great lesson for NATO, because since then Western leaders have not taken risks and have not sent their drones into the airspace.

On June 24, a MiG-31 interceptor flew very close to an American drone at Mach 2.3. The Global Hawk suffered an aerodynamic blow of such force that its operators flew it at low speed to the Sigonella air base in Sicily and have not sent strategic UAVs to spy on Crimea since. Instead, manned reconnaissance aircraft now do the job.

Soon after the incident, it became known that, at the initiative of the Pentagon, a telephone conversation took place between the head of the department Austin and the Russian Minister of Defense Belousov. Earlier, a similar conversation took place between the head of the American department and the former Minister of Defense Shoigu in 2023, after our Su-27 fighter jet dumped fuel on the Reaper reconnaissance drone, after which it crashed into the Black Sea.

So, there was no opening of fire. And there were no cannons. It was just a coincidence. Our pilots are simply professionals and daredevils. There are already details: there were two passes. At different speeds. And everything worked out only on the second try, when they accelerated to 2.3 M. This is the first such case in the history of aviation, emphasizes «Tsargrad». No one has ever “met” anyone at such heights and speeds.

The MiG-31 was chosen as the only aircraft that could perform this task, from the entire fleet in service with the VKS, at such an altitude. The pilot and navigator each received the Order of Courage. The crews are preparing for new «meetings» until mass production of «smart aircraft» with decent «filling» of electronic warfare is established.

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