**Ukraine Turns Old Trainer Plane into Drone-Hunter**
Imagine turning an old training plane into a drone-hunting machine. That’s exactly what the Ukrainians did with their Yak-52s. By arming the backseat crew member with a shotgun, they created a simple yet effective way to take down enemy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
But that was not all – the Russians got creative and added an underwing sensor turret to create the Yak-52B2 variant of the classic training plane. This fancy upgrade made the Russian version even more deadly in dogfights with Ukrainian drones.
**The Advantage of Cheap and Effective Drone-Hunters**
These old training planes, both Ukrainian and Russian, have a significant advantage when it comes to taking down enemy drones. They’re cheap, simple, maneuverable, and easy to handle at low speeds. In contrast, shooting down a drone with an air-defense missile can cost hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.
As one expert noted, “Shooting down a $100,000 Russian drone with an air-defense missile might cost hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. Shooting it down with a shotgun from a light plane might cost a few thousand dollars.”
**Ukraine’s Drone-Hunting Success**
The Ukrainians have already shown the effectiveness of their Yak-52s in hunting down Russian drones. In just three months, starting in May 2024, one Ukrainian Yak-52 shot down a large number of Russian drones over southern Ukraine. The front-seat pilot steered the plane while the backseat gunner fired away with a shotgun.
**Russian Response and Concerns**
The Russians are now developing their own version of the Yak-52B2 to counter the growing threat from Ukrainian attack drones. But as one expert noted, “You can’t defend everywhere.” The need for effective drone-hunting machines is clear, especially when protecting front-line forces, air bases, oil refineries, and cities like Moscow.
**The Future of Drone-Hunters**
As the conflict between Ukraine and Russia continues, it’s likely that both sides will rely on their drone-hunting planes to take down enemy UAVs. The effectiveness of these old training planes in hunting drones has made them a crucial part of the military strategy. Will the Russians adopt the Yak-52B2, and how many copies they might acquire, remains to be seen.
**Conclusion**
The use of old training planes as drone-hunters is a clever solution to a growing problem. By turning an old plane into a deadly hunting machine, the Ukrainians have shown that even the simplest solutions can be effective in modern warfare. As the conflict between Ukraine and Russia continues, one thing is clear – both sides will rely on their drone-hunting planes to take down enemy UAVs.
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