Ukraine deploys a barbed-wire system to cut drone cables

A new anti-drone device developed in Ukraine has begun to be used on the front line to neutralize Russian drones controlled via fiber-optic cables. The system is designed to physically cut these cables and sever operators’ control over the aerial vehicles.

The development comes at a time when militaries in various countries are seeking solutions to counter this type of threat. The device, unveiled in September, was specifically designed to cut the fiber-optic cables used to guide many drones.

Fiber-optic-linked drones differ from those that communicate via radio signals because electronic jamming is not enough to stop them. Such systems have also been used during the conflict in Myanmar and have taken part in deadly attacks against Israeli forces. In response to this threat, Israel has also stepped up efforts to develop more effective defensive methods.

The director of the Ukrainian company behind the system told Radio Free Europe that “dozens” of the devices had been delivered to Ukrainian units on the front line in recent days.

The system resembles a livestock fence and is approximately 80 centimeters high. Once an acoustic sensor detects the presence of a drone nearby, the device is activated. Electric motors set sharp-hooked wires in motion, similar to barbed wire, moving them through a space designed to catch and cut the cable.

When the fiber-optic cable is severed, the physical connection between the drone and its operator is lost. According to the manufacturer, the device is capable of cutting the cable in 95 percent of cases.