- October 14, 2024
- 8:32 pm
- Israel
“…asymmetry is part of the problem,” — “Modern systems face threats that are much less sophisticated. But this is a task, and it is necessary to cope with it … “
According to INSS researcher Yeshua Kaliski, the Ukrainians use small piston-powered aircraft to intercept UAVs, since the suicide bombers have low radar signature.
Former Israeli Air Force air defense commander Zvik Haimovich explained The Media Linethat Ukrainian systems and air defense in general are less advanced than Israeli ones. Over the course of almost three years of war, the Ukrainian Air Force has improved its capabilities in terms of intercepting drones and electronic warfare, but the approaches used by Ukraine are not entirely appropriate in Israeli conditions.
Drones and other unmanned equipment have been used since the 70s of the last century, but their mass use began with the beginning of a full-scale war in Ukraine. Russia mainly uses Iranian-made drones.
“Ukrainians use small piston aircraft to intercept UAVs to compensate for the lack of low radar signature (enemy attack drones), use simple sound amplifiers and network applications to recognize the sound of an approaching drone from a distance,” – Kaliski explained.
“The relatively large territory of Ukraine compared to Israel implies a greater degree of error. Israel does not have such a privilege to make a mistake with the interception. And this is not an easy task.”
Israeli media reported that Ukraine offered Jerusalem its experience gained during the war with Russia.
This proposal was rejected as Israel seemed to prefer to rely on its own decisions.
“Ukraine has developed acoustic sensor systems that help detect drones,” – noted Cvika Khaimovich.
“Drones have a distinctive buzzing sound at a distance, but at low altitude it is more distinct and resembles a swarm of bees, which adds to the psychological effect. Israeli systems and air defense are more advanced, they are larger and they have more capabilities than the Ukrainian ones.”
Against the background of this situation, last Sunday a drone attack occurred in the Binyamina area in central Israel, as a result of which at least 67 people were injured, four of them, 19-year-old recruits, were killed. The attack follows a strike on Friday, Yom Kippur, when a drone launched from Lebanon hit a nursing home in Herzliya.
“This is the world's first drone war,” – said former Israeli Air Force air defense commander Zvika Haimovich. “All regional players have recognized the potential and complex challenges that Israel faces in dealing with them. We will see this problem continue to exist.”
Since the beginning of the conflict between Israel and Iranian proxy groups in the region, drones have been actively used to attack Israel, putting its multi-layered defense systems to the test. Data from the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) shows that 180 Houthi drones, 150 drones by Shiite militias in Iraq and 170 drones from Iran have been flown since the conflict began. Most of these drones were intercepted before entering Israeli airspace.
The Israeli Air Force also uses UAVs for offensive operations in the region. According to the Royal United Services Institute for Defense Studies, Israel is one of the largest drone operators in the Middle East and has accounted for more than 60% of global UAV exports over the past three decades.
The drones used by Israel's opponents are mostly manufactured in Iran or in factories in Syria under the control of Iranian engineers. Israel has reportedly targeted drone production facilities in Syria.
“They are cheap to produce and easy to manage,” – Kaliski noted. “Their low radar signature makes them difficult to detect, and they can easily maneuver to avoid interception. Their slow flight speed also makes it difficult for Israeli fighters to intercept.”
Drone attacks by terrorist organizations have helped close the gap between them and conventional armies, adding a significant new threat to their arsenals.
“They can remain airborne for long periods of time to carry out offensive, reconnaissance or other missions that do not pose a threat to their operators,” – he added. “The UAV has the ability to communicate with ground operators.”
In addition to drone attacks, Israel has faced intense rocket fire. According to data released by the IDF on the first anniversary of the war, 13,200 rockets have been launched from the Gaza Strip since October last year, and another 12,400 from Lebanon.
“The threat of drones is no more significant or more lethal than missiles,” – Khaimovich noted. “But there is a question about how such an attack is perceived as an invasion of territory using an aircraft. This seems much more significant and alarming than a missile or shell.”
Recently, videos emerged of drones being launched towards central Israel, causing panic among citizens and a rush to bomb shelters. Israeli radars detected the UAV, which triggered sirens and forced citizens to take cover.
“The main problem is interception, not detection,” – Khaimovich explained. “This involves several levels of asymmetry.”
Haimovich noted that Hezbollah's main advantage is Lebanon's geography and topography, with its elevated mountainous terrain just a few kilometers from the Israeli border. There is also an asymmetry in the weapons systems and technologies used by both sides.
F-35s have been deployed to combat drones, some of which were purchased on eBay or AliExpress before being modified for combat.
“This asymmetry is part of the problem,” – said Khaimovich. “Modern systems face threats that are much less sophisticated. But this is a challenge, and it must be dealt with.”
In recent decades, Iran has developed the Mohajer UAV, the tenth generation of which was introduced last year. It can carry up to 300 kilograms of cargo, giving it significant firepower. Yemen's Houthis are believed to have the Samad 3, a long-range drone with a range of 1,800 kilometers, although it has poor accuracy. In July, a Houthi drone that was not intercepted struck a building in Tel Aviv, killing one civilian and wounding 10 others.
“Israel is dealing with the threat using its air defense systems – fighters and helicopters, as well as the Iron Dome system,” – Kaliski said. “In the future it will use radar-guided air defense artillery or a laser system developed in Israel.”
In April, Israel faced a massive ballistic missile and drone attack from Iran, during which 170 drones were launched simultaneously. With the help of regional allies led by the United States, most of the drones and missiles were intercepted. One child was seriously injured, but no significant injuries were reported.
As the war continues, drone attacks are expected to continue, with both sides evolving their tactics, which could lead to an arms race in the Middle East.
After the death of four 19-year-old recruits from a drone strike, Israel became interested in the Ukrainian experience
The catastrophic aftermath of a Hezbollah drone strike on a military base in the Wadi Ara area, which killed four 19-year-old Golani Brigade recruits, has sent shockwaves through Israel. The dead were identified as Omri Tamari from Mazkeret Batya, Yusef Haib from Tuba Zangaria, Yoav Agmon from Binyamina and Amitai Alon from Ramat Naftali. All of them received their first military ranks posthumously. Moreover, dozens of Golani soldiers are in hospitals, several of them in serious condition.
Despite the fact that the army has not yet reported the death of soldiers, TV channel “14” has already identified the “main culprits” of the tragedy among the military, while excluding the political leadership. However, TV channel 12 reported in the morning that responsibility for the IDF’s lack of preparedness to repel the threat of kamikaze drones also lies with politicians who refused to cooperate with a state that has rich and successful experience in combating Iranian drones.
For the first time, the Ukrainian experience in fighting drones was discussed on air on central Israeli television channels. Kan correspondent Amichai Stein reported that in September Russia launched 1,331 kamikaze drones into Ukrainian territory, of which 1,107 were shot down. “The Ukrainian Armed Forces have learned to destroy 83% of enemy drones,” – he emphasized, pointing out that Ukraine has neither the Iron Dome, nor modern radars, nor powerful air forces, like the IDF.
In this regard, a reasonable question arose: why, having a common enemy and a common threat, does Israel not combine its technologies with Ukrainian experience? This could lead to improved results and a stronger defense against Iranian drones, which are difficult to catch. According to Western intelligence, Israel cannot boast of significant success in this area, since half of the drones shot down turn out to be the IDF's own drones.
Amichai Stein and correspondents from TV channel 12 explained the lack of cooperation with Ukraine by the reluctance of the Israeli leadership to spoil relations with “great Russia.” This comes even after the Kremlin supported Hamas and tried to arm Hezbollah with defenses against the Israeli air force.
Let us recall that Benjamin Netanyahu was proud of his “special relationship” and “personal friendship” with Russian President Putin.
