Ukraine's National Guard shifts to fiber-optic drones, now 70% of its fleet
Ukraine's National Guard says fiber-optic drones, which trail a cable instead of relying on a jammable signal, now make up 70% of the drones it uses, up from roughly a fifth.
Ukraine's National Guard has significantly changed the composition of its drone fleet, increasingly turning to fiber-optic models connected to their operators by a long cable rather than a radio link.
Why the shift is happening
The main advantage of these drones is that they have no radio signal for adversaries to detect and jam. As electronic warfare capabilities on both sides of the front line have intensified, drones relying on wireless signals have become easier to disable and less reliable in combat conditions.
This has pushed the National Guard to reorganize its drone units around cable-guided systems: fiber-optic drones now account for 70% of all drones the unit uses, a sharp rise from about 20% previously.
Context
Fiber-optic drones have become increasingly common on both sides of the front as electronic warfare on the battlefield grows more sophisticated. The reported shift shows Ukraine's forces continuing to adapt their tactics in search of ways to bypass enemy jamming systems.
