These days, the International Defense Exhibitions IDEX 2023, NAVDEX are taking place in the UAE, in which warring Ukraine and Russia are participating, exhibiting their weapon systems.
The purpose of such exhibitions is the presentation by defense companies of various countries of their weapons systems, with the aim of signing contracts for their sale to countries that wish to include them in the arsenal of their Armed Forces.
In addition, depending on the positive performance that a weapon system has in a war, it also attracts client countries to purchase it.
The wars in Syria-Libya-Nagorno Karabakh and Ukraine highlighted the value of using UAVs on the modern battlefield.
In particular, Russia is using kamikaze drones extensively, systematically destroying energy production and distribution centers and utility projects in Ukraine.
We as Greece are particularly interested in the rapid development of multi-mission and multi-use drones developed by the Turkish military industry, which will pose a great threat in the event of a military engagement with Turkey.
Our country is known to have purchased and installed an anti-drone defense system to counter the Turkish threat.
However, since the best defense is offense, we recommend the immediate purchase of kamikaze drones in large numbers, which is what the defending Ukraine has done.
"Ukraine Showcases Indigenously Made RAM II Loitering Ammunition at IDEX 2023, Close to Russian Bench," is the title of an International Media article whose highlights are as follows:
"The Russian presence at a separate stand included more than seven manufacturers, each presenting a wide range of military products.
One of them was the ZALA KYB roving ammunition, manufactured by the ZALA Group and presented for the first time at the exhibition.
Moscow has extensively deployed its indigenously guided munitions, primarily from ZALA, and imported kamikaze drones to destroy Ukraine's civilian infrastructure and power grids.
The use of these stray munitions has been labeled a war crime by NATO allies.
Although Russia's indigenous ZALA munitions have attracted much attention in the ongoing conflict, Ukraine's indigenous munitions have not received similar attention in the war.
More than developing specially designed munitions, Kiev has focused on modifying archaic Soviet-era drones, such as the Tu-141 Strizh, which reportedly carry out suicide missions inside Russia.
The Ukrainian stockpile also consists of US-supplied Switchblade and Phoenix Ghost munitions, in addition to Turkish Bayraktar drones.
It is, therefore, pertinent to mention here that Ukraine is exhibiting its locally developed RAM-II ammunition at IDEX.
Based on the Leleka-100 unmanned aerial vehicle used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the RAM-II munitions rover was presented by Ukrainian drone manufacturer Ukrspecsystems.
With several European countries stating their intention to buy some or build their own, roving munitions have become much more visible and widespread to Western users due to their central role in Ukraine.
The combat performance of these systems can be exploited by Russia and Ukraine to market their equipment.
What do we know about Ukraine's RAM-II?
The RAM II UAS is a high precision unmanned aerial roving combat munition. When deployed in an urban environment, it is intended to deliver precise, effective attacks on enemy units while minimizing collateral damage.
Its drone features a gyroscopic stabilized Full HD camera and 10x optical zoom for simple target identification.
It has a length of 10 meters, a wingspan of 2,584 meters, a payload capacity of three kilograms and a cruising speed of 70 kilometers per hour. The maximum take-off weight of the RAM II is 9.8 kg and it can reach a maximum height of 1,000 meters.
The key element of this drone is an active optical target tracking system, which enables target lock-on using live video from the onboard camera and tracking the target until contact. These UAVs are launched into the sky using a special catapult, which can be installed on an armored vehicle.
RAM-II contains "Terminal" software, which allows it to synchronize with command and control (C2) systems used by the Ukrainian military. This is another interesting feature. Also, the high degree of automation eliminates human error and allows the drone to be used in a "swarm attack" or a single attack.
The UAV RAM II incorporates an encrypted data link, a quiet electric motor and a low noise signature to maximize mission security. It is a fully loaded combat UAV that carries a three-kilogram warhead and can operate at a range of 30 kilometers from the launch point. It can complete both surveillance mission and combat mission.
If affected by engagement systems, the drone returns to base on its own and lands with a parachute. This system takes up to 10 minutes to deploy and can be used from inside the vehicle or from a safe position.
The Ukrainians show us the way
On the urgent issue of DIRECT purchase in large numbers of UAV-UCAV-USV-DRONES KAMIKAZI from our country we have mentioned in more than ten of our articles in the last 2 years.
We should also realize that UCAV-USVs give us the ability to attack depending on their range, to attack military and non-military targets, both on the Asia Minor coast and inside Turkey.
It is preferable for Greece to have 1 less fighter aircraft F-16, which according to recent purchase prices from Bulgaria 1 American F-16 BLOCK70, together with its weapons systems costs 200 million dollars and with the same money to buy 200 UCAVs about or 800 USV.
We say this since according to current prices, for example, a Turkish Bayraktar costs about 1,000,000 dollars, so the prices of UCAVs of similar capabilities of allied countries will not deviate significantly, while a Ukrainian UCV costs 250,000 dollars.
Greece, with the multitude of islands, intermediate islands, micro-islands and islets it has in the Aegean, needs to have in its arsenal a multitude of highly accurate and lethal weapon systems in order to face Turkish aggression.
The kamikaze and USV UAVs, in addition to the above characteristics, have as additional advantages the low cost of construction and the possibility that the fighters and our civilian population in the Aegean can join the Pallaic defense as operators after a short training.
