Ukrainian Artillery Tactics: How AS90 Howitzers Counter Drones and Russian Advances

Drone Warfare and Artillery Vulnerability

• ⚠️ Shahed drones pose a significant threat to frontline troops with little warning, as evidenced by drones passing just 10 meters over a building near the reporting team.
• 🎯 Ukrainian artillery, including the British-supplied AS90 howitzers, are vulnerable to FPV drone attacks due to their size and weight (45 tons).
• 🛡️ While the AS90s have thick armor, drone operators are becoming adept at finding weak spots, making concealment and rapid repositioning crucial.

"Shoot and Scoot" Tactics in Modern Warfare

• ⚡ The traditional "shoot and scoot" tactics are being adapted; AS90s are pushed out for short firing periods and then quickly returned to cover, often in treelines.
• 💥 The Third Brigade used six shots from an AS90 to destroy a Russian bunker housing five troops, but were immediately targeted by a Russian drone afterward.
• 📡 Effective communication and spotting for drones are vital for troop safety, logistics, and maneuvering, with radio locations and frontline spotters playing a key role.

Western Weaponry vs. Evolving Threats

• 📈 The UK retired its AS90 fleet due to advancing technology, but these weapons remain useful in Ukraine, with barrels being used up to 8,000 times before replacement.
• 💡 Donating older but still functional Western weapons is seen as sensible, especially as future warfare is expected to be dominated by AI-driven, automated, and nimble systems.
• 🤔 Ukrainian forces are concerned about drone attacks, even on barrels and camouflage netting, and note that AS90 armor is less thick than that of Challenger 2 tanks.

Eastern Ukraine Frontline Situation

• 📌 Izyum is holding firm under the defense of the Third Assault Brigade, forming part of the Third Army Corps.
• 📉 In the Donbas, towns like Pervomaisk and Konstantinovka are under heavy Russian pressure, with Pervomaisk nearly encircled and Konstantinovka holding out despite being heavily contested.
• ⚖️ Ukrainian leadership faces difficult strategic decisions regarding how many lives to spend defending towns versus planning potential staged withdrawals to avoid significant losses.

Countering Drone and Missile Barrages

• 🚀 Ukraine is developing innovative solutions like interceptor drones, which combine features of heat-seeking missiles and drones for rapid interception of Shahed drones.
• ⚔️ The conflict is a constant technological arms race, with both sides continuously developing countermeasures and modifications to overcome the other's advancements.
• ❓ The delivery and effectiveness of advanced Western air defense systems like Patriot batteries remain uncertain, with questions about their arrival time and suitability for countering cheaper drones like the Shahed.