The Ukrainian company Aerobavovna, led by Yuriy Vysoven, is now mass transferring specially designed air balloons to the front to carry out reconnaissance missions. They are being tested at the Nova Technology Center of the 3rd Azov Separate Assault Brigade, responsible for front-line technical tests, so that they can be used to support the ISTAR (intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition) missions of the Air Units. The Azov reconnaissance unit uses Galka and Soyka UAVs produced by the Lviv company Warbirds, whose range will be increased by hot air balloons.
According to news that appeared in the pro-Russian social sphere, in recent weeks Aerobavovna has also tested a prototype radar system weighing less than 5 kg that can be integrated into a hot air balloon. The radar is designed to detect UAVs and any aerial targets, such as Russian Su-34 or Su-25 attack aircraft.
The new balloons enable enhanced reconnaissance operations while remaining out of range of Russian artillery fire and Lancet loitering munitions. Meanwhile, Russia has also joined the air war waged in the skies above Ukraine, making extensive use of helium-filled balloons to fool Ukrainian air defense radar systems during night raids.
The new system is produced in the Kiev region, in three different sites to avoid impacts on production plants. The balloon systems developed by Aerobavovna are cheap, about $6,500 each, and are equipped with optical sensors (optical-electronic stations) and electronic warfare capabilities, depending on the configuration chosen by the unit using them on the front line. These sensors can monitor the situation on the front line and the movements of Russian troops from an altitude of 700 meters. The visual and radar signature of balloons is very low due to the materials used in their manufacture. The only limitation is helium, which is currently in short supply in Ukraine and must be imported from Poland.
These balloons can be made in different versions. They can be used as bait to deceive Russian anti-aircraft radars by mounting them with electronic warfare systems that create a profile similar to that of aircraft.
In a tactical reconnaissance configuration equipped with optoelectronics and counter-battery radar, they are used to carry out the missions of modern artillery systems such as CAESAR or Archer. Information collected through their on-board systems is used to geolocate Russian artillery pieces, and their coordinates are then transmitted to balloon operators via the Krapiva data-sharing application.
They can also be configured to collect electromagnetic data using systems from the Ukrainian company Quertus.
Additionally, balloons play a key role in unmanned attrition warfare as signal retransmitters through the use of special antennas. They increase the range of commercial DJI Mavic-3 Pro drones and FPV drones and also limit the capabilities of Russian electronic warfare systems.
Graziella Giangiulio
