– We have been quite put off by how quickly technology becomes outdated, says Sigurd Harsheim. He is the specialist group leader for drones in the Army. – We thought that we could hold out much longer with the material we have. Harsheim is head of drones in the Army. Photo: Alexander Slotten / news news meets Harsheim at the military base at Rena, where three weeks of intense training in the use of drones in war are now taking place. Hasheim believes that drones will be absolutely decisive in the wars of the future. Every two weeks he sees new innovations in Ukraine. Measures and countermeasures are being rolled out at a furious pace. A volunteer takes an FPV drone out of the box in Lviv. Volunteers in Lviv have donated nearly 7,300 drones to the Ukrainian army during the year as part of a major charity drive, according to the AP. Photo: Mykola Tys / AP – Then we realize how far behind we are. We have a bureaucracy and a procurement process and the like now that are not equipped for this type of technological development, he says. Dragon drones Early in the war, the Ukrainians began using cheap drones to drop grenades and explosives on Russian forces, with great effect. Over time, Russia has also become a major consumer of drones, and both sides are constantly developing new ways to counter their opponent’s drones. The picture shows some of the above FPV drones donated to Ukraine from the Comeback alive foundation. Photo: Reuters In the latest twist, the Ukrainians have now started using so-called “dragon drones” to drop burning thermite over Russian defense positions. This is a screenshot from a video of a Ukrainian drone dropping burning thermite over a wooded area. Photo: Kherson Group / Telegram – Do we need more resources to follow the developments we see on the battlefield in Ukraine? – The answer to that is a resounding yes, says Harsheim. Developments on the battlefield are extremely fast, and it is difficult to keep up with the changes. The armed forces are trying to learn from the war in Ukraine when they are now developing their own drone strategy. Here you see a Norwegian drone being tested at Rena. Photo: Defense – We are quite blown away by how fast it is, says Hasheim. It is now only a matter of weekly cycles from when one thing works until the countermeasures are in place. – At the start of the war in Ukraine, we in the Army were served lectures which claimed that these drones were just a gimmick. But it has been fairly quiet from that side since then, he says. A Ukrainian soldier launches a Vector drone into a cornfield in Ukraine. It will be sent over Russian forces in Kharkiv to gather information about their defense positions. Photo: Inna Varenytsia / Reuters Intensive course in drone warfare A drone hangs from the ceiling of an office at Rena. – The drone hanging directly above me here is called Raven. It is a real workhorse, and has saved many Norwegian lives in Afghanistan, says one of the course holders. This drone was important for Norwegian forces in Afghanistan. Photo: Alexander Slotten / news While Raven will spend his retirement in the office at Rena, his big brother Puma will take over in the field. It is the Puma drone that will be trained to use for the next three weeks. Nordskog and head instructor Eirik Lund show off a Puma drone. Photo: Alexander Slotten / news An intense race to be completed in a short time. The participants are from various departments in the Armed Forces and some from Sweden. There are long days and a lot for the students to absorb in a short time. Photo: Alexander Slotten / news In an auditorium at the military base, there are students who get to try out a drone simulator. Instructor Kristian Dragsnes patiently explains how they should proceed. – Here now, an operator’s course is taking place on “Puma 2 All Environment”, as it is called. An American acquisition drone system that we have had since 2019, he says. The teaching starts with simulation on such handheld consoles as in the picture, before they later go out and fly real drones. Photo: Alexander Slotten / news – This course here is like the driving licence. It is to be learned from using the system safely, and then there are tactics, technique, procedures. That’s what you learn there, then. – It’s a bit like Playstation, only with much worse graphics, says one of the participants on the course. As disadvantaged as the Russians, Harsheim says that everything is changing in the Norwegian defence. A long peace has done great damage to Norway’s ability to defend its own territory, he explains. – We make fun of the Russians for not having enough weapons and uniforms for their soldiers, but we are no better off when it starts to drag on. He points to the findings in the Defense Commission’s report from 2021. – No positive picture of our general defense capability was painted there. The Ministry of Defense tells news in an email that the Storting has asked the government to prepare and implement an overall drone strategy for the defense sector. This is what Puma looks like in the air. The picture was taken during the drone course. Photo: Forsvaret / Forsvaret They write that they want things to go faster, and that the plan is for the defense sector to make procurements faster, and to put in place faster and more flexible procurement processes. According to the Ministry of Defence, the government’s ambition in the long-term plan is to facilitate a significant boost in research and development of military technology, including the development of drones and means against them. Published 16.09.2024, at 08.59
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The armed forces are lagging behind in the drone race – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
