The Russian Ministry of Defense demonstrated footage of the combat operation of the Krasukha-S4 electronic warfare complex. According to the military department, this electronic warfare system makes it possible to detect all types of air targets, including those moving at extremely low altitudes. The Krasukha-S4 is mainly used to suppress UAVs. Along with it, in the Northern Military District zone, to combat drones, disrupt communications and control the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russian troops use the Palantin ground complex, as well as special Leer-3 and Moskit drones. According to experts, front-line units are currently being equipped with various electronic warfare systems, which increases their ability to carry out effective electronic warfare.
The Russian Ministry of Defense published on its website footage of the combat use of the Krasukha-S4 self-propelled electronic warfare (EW) complex. The crew of this system suppressed a Ukrainian reconnaissance UAV.
“Electronic warfare (EW) specialists from the Center group demonstrated airspace scanning, detection and classification of airborne objects, and also suppressed the airborne radar station of a Ukrainian reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle,” the Russian Ministry of Defense reported.
As military personnel note, the tactical and technical characteristics of the Krasukha-S4 make it possible to “detect all types of air targets, including those moving at extremely low altitudes.”
“By influencing the on-board equipment of an airborne object, the software and hardware of the complex blinds it and forces it to gain altitude, becoming accessible to the air defense systems of the Russian group of forces,” explained the Russian military department.
“No azimuth limitation”
As stated by a military expert, a member of the coordination council of the Russian Guard, reserve colonel Roman Nasonov, “Krasukha-S4” and other representatives of this family of electronic warfare systems are among the most effective in their class. They are capable of detecting and jamming radar equipment on airplanes, helicopters, UAVs and cruise missiles.
“Krasukha” is a family of land mobile electronic warfare systems developed by specialists from the Gradient Research Institute (Rostov-on-Don). They are intended for productionand interference with airborne objects, including UAVs. As a result of their influence, the enemy aircraft loses the ability to perform tasks, its navigation is disrupted, and sometimes the “Krasukha” crew is even able to seize control,” Nasonov explained in an interview with RT.
Electronic warfare complex “Krasukha-4” RIA Novosti © Vitaly Ankov
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the Krasukha-S4 is equipped with new digital equipment “with high performance.” The system consists of two machines with special equipment.
“The complex is designed to combat all modern radar stations used on various types of aircraft, as well as in unmanned aircraft. In addition, the complex’s capabilities make it possible to organize radio interference in a wide range of frequencies, without restrictions on azimuth and elevation,” the military department’s website reports.
In addition to the Krasukha-S4, the Palantin (Palantin-K) mobile electronic warfare system developed by the United Instrument-Making Corporation is successfully used in the special operation zone.
According to this company, Palantin is capable of suppressing data transmission media based on the modern software-defined SDR (Software-defined radio) platform, which is the main technology in the field of radio communications.
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According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the main task is electronic suppression of enemy command and control systems, including UAVs.
“The Palantin electronic warfare complex drops reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, jams cellular communications and Internet sources at enemy command posts. The system operates at a range of more than 20 km, and not with a directed beam, but with a point beam. That is, “Palantin” is able to suppress sources of communication and the Internet at enemy positions, without disturbing civilian infrastructure,” says the materials of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
As electronic warfare specialists themselves report, military personnel quickly master Palantin, as it is extremely simple to operate and maintain. The complex automatically provides opening and suppression of enemy communications.
“The Palantin complex is 2-3 times superior in its capabilities to Russian electronic warfare systems of the previous generation and currently has no analogues in its combat capabilities in any army of leading foreign countries,” the Russian Ministry of Defense emphasizes.
As stated in the materials of the military department, the capabilities of the Palantina equipment make it possible to carry out electronic reconnaissance and blind the enemy in the short-wave and ultra-short-wave ranges.
Electronic warfare complex “Palantine” © Russian Ministry of Defense
“In addition, the complex is endowed with a system-forming function, that is, it is capable of combining various electronic warfare and radio electronic reconnaissance (electronic reconnaissance – RT) complexes into a single working network, which significantly increases the efficiency of their use,” noted the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Along with ground-based electronic warfare systems in the Northern Military District zone, Russian troops widely use unmanned electronic warfare and electronic reconnaissance systems. In particular, the Leer-3 system is used to suppress enemy GSM communications.
According to information from the Russian Ministry of Defense, this complex is designed to “reveal the location of communication centers and their operating radio frequencies.” It is also capable of determining the coordinates of “critical enemy objects.”
In the SVO zone, Leer-3 is used in cooperation with the R-330BMW radio jamming station. It can detect, analyze, take direction finding of enemy radio traffic and interfere “in the entire working radio frequency spectrum.”
According to the Ministry of Defense, the combat operation of the Leer-3 and R-330BMW complicates the operational planning and control of enemy troops, “affecting the communication centers of enemy command posts located at a considerable distance from the line of combat contact.”
Combat operation of the Leer-3 electronic warfare and electronic reconnaissance complex in the Northern Military District zone
“The direct strike weapons of the complex (“Leer-3.” – RT ) are Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicles, which are equipped with special radio signal transmitters that simulate the operation of basic GSM networks… Such equipment allows you to block the operation of any devices in certain ranges” ,” the military department explains.
Also, based on the Orlan-10, Russian specialists developed the Moskit unmanned multi-purpose complex. In addition to reconnaissance and artillery fire adjustment functions, the UAV can perform electronic warfare missions thanks to additional electronic modules.
The Mosquito can also serve as an electronic warfare weapon. The design provides for switching it from the “Reconnaissance” mode to the “Suppression” mode. Special equipment is turned on, which jams enemy communication channels. As a result, units on the front line cannot communicate with the command,” the military explains.
Modernization potential
As Lieutenant General Yuri Lastochkin, chief of the electronic warfare forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, said in an April interview with Krasnaya Zvezda, the role of electronic warfare in achieving victory in armed conflicts is rapidly increasing.
According to the military leader, electronic warfare systems can seriously complicate reconnaissance, protect objects from destruction by high-precision weapons, and disrupt communications and command and control of troops.
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In the Northern Military District zone, as Lastochkin said, electronic warfare troops are countering the operation of terminals of the Starlink satellite broadband communication system, communications equipment, missile weapons, reconnaissance and attack drones of the enemy.
“To counter small-sized UAVs in the Northern Military District zone, specialized electronic warfare equipment was quickly developed and effectively used. In addition, the high modernization potential inherent in the jamming stations in service made it possible to quickly adapt algorithms for detecting signals and generating interference to radio control lines of small-sized UAVs,” Lastochkin said.
According to Roman Nasonov, standard army electronic warfare equipment quite effectively performs tasks in the special operation zone. At the same time, the expert is confident that the experience of combat use has made it possible to identify a number of shortcomings, which the domestic industry is now working to eliminate.
“Our manufacturing specialists are constantly in touch with the units on the front line and receive information from them about what needs to be improved. This modernization concerns increasing the capabilities of combating UAVs and data transmission facilities, including Starlink,” Nasonov suggested.
As Maxim Kondratyev, adviser to the Russian Academy of Engineering, said in a conversation with RT, the combat potential of electronic warfare troops increased significantly during the Northern Military District. The expert sees a further increase in the effectiveness of domestic electronic warfare in its combination with radar stations (radars).
The work of the electronic warfare unit of the Russian Armed Forces to block communications of Ukrainian troops
“In my opinion, the SVO showed the need to improve the interaction of electronic warfare systems with radar. This will make it possible to detect UAVs flying in radio silence mode. Radars should transmit the coordinates of such drones, and electronic warfare should jam their navigation. If such work is established, then the capabilities of the same “Krasukha” will increase significantly,” Kondratyev believes.
At the same time, as Kondratyev emphasized, at the current stage, the standard electronic warfare systems of the Russian Armed Forces cannot completely close the line of combat contact. Reliable defense against UAVs and high-precision weapons requires the integrated work of all front-line units.
“Standard army electronic warfare systems have a number of objective limitations in their operation. For example, due to the specifics of the terrain, it is not always possible to expand their radio horizon. In addition, any jammer is himself a visible target for the enemy. For this reason, our troops are being equipped with a variety of electronic warfare systems, including wearable ones, and interaction is being established between troops on the front line in order to combat UAVs and disrupt enemy communications and control,” Kondratiev concluded.
