David Hambling
Key Points and Summary: Ukraine’s drone warfare has reached unprecedented heights, with 1.2 million drones produced in 2024 alone. Key components include FPV kamikaze drones, reconnaissance quadcopters, and long-range strike UAVs like the Lyutyy, which boasts a 600-mile range.
-FPVs dominate Ukraine’s arsenal, making up over 90% of production and proving critical in anti-armor roles. Heavy bombers, hybrid drones, and fixed-wing UAVs offer flexibility for reconnaissance, precision strikes, and deep-target missions.
-Ukraine’s innovative drone strategies, driven by evolving technology and battlefield demand, are reshaping modern warfare and providing a blueprint for nations like the U.S. to update their drone forces.
Ukraine Reveals Drone Order of Battle
Large numbers of small drones have become a key component in Ukraine’s ground war. This development was formalized last year with the establishment of the Unmanned Systems Forces as a separate branch of the armed services, a move later copied by Moscow.
But the exact makeup of this force is a mystery. We know the composition of an armored battalion in terms of tanks, IFVs, artillery, and other hardware, but no information has been released on the uncrewed equivalent – until now.
Figures released last month by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense give the total production of drones for 2024, providing insight into the proportions of different drones deployed. The total for the year is a staggering 1.2 million drones, the vast majority being small FPV kamikazes.
This is not a complete account of Ukraine’s drones. At the start of the war, before the military appreciated the value of these types, volunteers and fundraising groups supplied drones direct to army units, bypassing the military procurement process. This activity continues on an impressive scale. Fundraiser Serhii Sternenko has organized drives supplying more than 133,000 FPVs over the course of the war – that’s more drones than any NATO army possesses.
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