Russians testing Volnorez anti-drone jamming station on vehicles in Crimea.

According to a report from the mil.in.ua website, Russian volunteers are currently conducting tests on the "Volnorez" electronic warfare station. This system has been designed to safeguard armored vehicles against drone attacks. The trials of the "Volnorez" system are currently taking place on the occupied territory of Crimea. Following these tests, samples of the system are planned to be sent to Ukraine for evaluation under real combat conditions.
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The antenna of the "Volnorez" electronic warfare station on a T-80BVM tank displayed at Army-2023 exhibition in August 2023 (Picture source: Michael Jerde via mil.in.ua)

The "Volnorez" radio jamming station made its initial public appearance in August of 2023 at the Russian military expo "Army-2023." During this event, the system was demonstrated on various armored vehicles, including tanks, to illustrate its adaptation to modern battlefield scenarios.

While specific technical details of the "Volnorez" system are not publicly disclosed by the Russians, Ukrainian communication specialist Serhii Flesh has shed some light on its capabilities. According to him, the system is primarily designed to shield the host vehicle from FPV (First Person View) drones. The system's antenna possesses visual radiating properties starting from 900 MHz and extending up to 3000 MHz, effectively countering the FPV drones utilized on the battlefield.

This frequency range aligns with the operational frequencies of most drones currently in use. Activation of the "Volnorez" system disrupts the drone's communication with its control station, causing the drone to veer off course and lose contact. This enables the targeted host vehicle to avoid being hit by the drone.

It's worth noting that basic, homemade FPV attack drones employed by both sides generally plummet to the ground when their signal is lost, rendering them inoperable. However, more advanced civilian drones like the Mavic 3 exhibit the ability to remain airborne and possibly change their direction in such circumstances.

In late July, reports from "Military" indicated that Ukrainian volunteers are also engaged in developing a similar solution to safeguard Ukrainian armored vehicles. The volunteer-led electronic warfare complex generates a limited "dome" of radio-electronic interference over the equipment, effectively severing communication between the drone operator and the drone during its final flight phase.

Antenna of the "Volnorez" system (Picture from open source via mil.in.ua)

"Volnorez" station mounted on a civilian test vehicle (Picture from open source via mil.in.ua)

Container with Volnorez system tested on a T-72 tank in July 2023 (Picture from open source via mil.in.ua)

Defense News September 2023