Ukraine Invasion - Please do not post videos showing attacks/similar

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HungryHippos said:
I suspect that US will get better gear into Ukraine sooner or later to counter them, or at least give Ukraine like-for-like drone capability.

They've probably been looking at options since the purchase of the drones by Russia was announced.
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Aren't Russian drones severely advanced?

Like America stopped trying to create the tech and Russia just carried on. Sure I heard this on a podcast recently.
 
Begbie said:
Aren't Russian drones severely advanced?

Like America stopped trying to create the tech and Russia just carried on. Sure I heard this on a podcast recently.
Click to expand...

I don't think so, because if they were so good they wouldn't be getting drones from Iran.

Due to sanctions they barely seem to be able to put chips into other things they are running, which also explains the lack of missile strikes, they're doing some but seem quite sparing, probably because they don't have many to begin with.
 
Begbie said:
Aren't Russian drones severely advanced?

Like America stopped trying to create the tech and Russia just carried on. Sure I heard this on a podcast recently.
Click to expand...
I suspect they're probably similar tech levels (US may be better) but different roles/operational theories.

The Russian drones I've seen have tended to be fairly simple/older seeming tech, whilst the US has multiple different models of drone with very different levels of advancement depending on what they're intended to do ranging from the the long range, but slow ones that can loiter for hours and hours watching and waiting for something interesting then potentially firing a rocket/dropping a bomb, to the fast one shot drones that are basically advanced missiles.
don't make the mistake in thinking that because the US's main high profile drones seem to be 20 years old that they've stalled on development or they're less advanced as even something like the Reaper Drones are still getting new equipment/upgrades much the same way that a lot of manned aircraft may not change much in looks over a 20-40 year lifespan but in that time they will likely have pretty much everything but the airframe undergo upgrades to make them better (newer engines that might be more powerful/efficient, newer avionics that might give it entirely new abilities or improve existing ones to be on a par with a brand new aircraft).

Basically don't assume that because Russia says it's got "hypersonic" drones or it's drones use jet engines that they're "more advanced" than say a US prop drone as the usage might be very different and depending on your definition of drone you can call what is effectively a cruise missile a "drone"*, or even a modified conventional aircraft (IIRC the US for example were using surplus aircraft as target drones after fitting them with RC type controls back in the 50's).

What we've not seen from the USA is a modern "fighter" drone, but if they don't have one in development/testing I'd be surprised.



*A Drone that's single shot and relies on destroying itself to take out a target is basically what we'd call a cruise missile (or even guided munition depending on size)...but possibly cheaper and simpler as it's not got the same initial take off requirements.
 
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