Russia's Airborne Troops To Use Attack Drones in Near Future

Russia's airborne troops are about to complete the work on their new image and structure. Russia’s mobile assault forces will preserve mobility and increase their combat potential, the commander of the troops, Lt. Gen. Vladimir Shamanov said.

Photo: Russia's Airborne Troops To Use Attack Drones in Near Future

For the time being, there are nine battalions of paratroopers in the structure of the nation’s airborne troops. All of them are constantly prepared to be deployed in any troubled region. A contract paratrooper will be paid 30,000 rubles ($1,000) a month instead of the current 7,500 rubles ($240).

“This is not bragging. We bother each of the battalions every three months. Their mobility and readiness have been combat-proven,” the general said.

The work on a new image and structure in the Armed Forces stipulates a serious staff reduction. However, it has not been the rule with the airborne troops. Full-fledged surface-to-air missile regiments are to be established in four divisions, Shamanov said.

“Commandoes attack aggressively. They should be able to move very quickly from one location to another. However, the personnel have been defenseless against air raids and attack helicopters. Until recently, it has been a weak point in all of such operations. This drawback will be compensated now,” the official said.

Reconnaissance battalions will be created on the base of ground cavalry troops too. The new units will use unmanned aircraft in their activities. The drones will be used to regulate fire supervising the enemy on a battlefield.

“In two or three years we plan to develop and create attack drones that will be capable of defeating the enemy on the area of up to 25 kilometers without the participation of staff,” the general said.

"At the end of August we will receive a battalion of ten Nona self-propelled guns and two fire-control vehicles. We will also increase the number of wheeled armored vehicles in service with the airborne troops," he said, adding that the modernized or even new tracked vehicles, including the latest BMD-4 airborne infantry vehicle, demonstrated limited mobility in the five-day war with Georgia last year, RIA Novosti reports.

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