In their effort to combat Russian reconnaissance drones, Ukrainian forces have begun using veteran trainers Yak-52. According to reports in the last few hours, at least one Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicle is said to have been shot down by the Soviet biplane in areas near Odesa.
As usual, initial reports emerged after a series of videos went viral on social media. The footage shows the Russian drone descending with the assistance of its parachute after being damaged by a Yak-52. It also depicts the Yak-52 maneuvering around the unmanned aerial vehicle.
Ukrainian media mentioned that the Orlan-10 was likely shot down by the copilot of the Yak-52, as the trainer aircraft lacks the capability to carry weapons. Although the aircraft in question could have been modified to operate a machine gun, the most plausible hypothesis is that the second crew member was responsible for the downing. It’s worth remembering that several countries have achieved drone shootdowns from aircraft operating at low speeds.
One of the first countries to implement this technique was Serbia during NATO operations in the late 1990s. More recently, an U.S. Navy MH-60 Seahawk closely tracked an Iranian Mohajer-6 drone as it flew over the USS Dwight Eisenhower aircraft carrier, once again highlighting the vulnerability of such aircraft.
Returning to the recent Ukrainian case, the use of aircraft like the Yak-52 represents a new on-the-fly solution to confront the threat of Russian drones, which have demonstrated the ability to operate deep within Ukrainian territory despite the presence of various types of anti-aircraft systems. Drones like the Orlan-10 often operate in combination with loitering munitions such as Lancet or short-range ballistic missiles to destroy high-value targets.
The use of a Yak-52 to combat drones likely occurs within the framework of an operation that includes surveillance and observation units, as well as coordination with the integrated anti-aircraft artillery system. This would allow valuable resources such as missiles to be conserved, opting for a more economical option.
It’s worth noting that the use of aircraft like the Yak-52 has its logical limitations, as these aircraft can only operate during the day and under good weather conditions. Operations will also involve a high degree of improvisation if the use of weaponry is limited to what the copilot can handle, possibly with a rifle or a light machine gun.
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