Interceptor drones are taking over in Ukraine, but soldiers are still using machine guns to battle Russian threats

"Interceptor drones, which are armed with small warheads and fly directly into their targets or explode nearby to destroy them midair, have become a crucial tool for Ukraine as it struggles to defend against worsening Russian bombardments. However, Ukraine still doesn't have enough of these drones, and they aren't always the best tool for every intercept, making guns a practical fallback, Ukrainian soldiers and an official familiar with the security situation told Business Insider."

"Oleksiy's unit, tasked with protecting Irpin, a city on the outskirts of Ukraine's capital Kyiv, has historically used the .50 caliber M2 Browning machine gun mounted on the bed of a pickup truck to battle the Russian one-way attack drones that are regularly launched at Ukraine. Earlier this year, though, Russia started modifying its drones to fly faster and at higher altitudes, beyond the range of the Browning, a popular US-made heavy weapon designed around the end of World War I."

Cheap interceptor drones armed with small warheads that collide with or detonate near targets have become a central element of Ukraine's air defense against intensified Russian bombardments. Supply of interceptor drones remains limited, and they are not optimal for every interception, so small arms and decades-old machine guns remain in active use. Territorial Defense units that protect cities like Irpin have historically used the .50-caliber M2 Browning mounted on pickup trucks to engage one-way attack drones. Recent Russian modifications increased drone speed and altitude beyond the Browning's effective range. Units are training to use new interceptors, but machine guns continue to serve as a practical fallback.

Read at Business Insider