There is a shortage of domestic Orlan-10 UAVs in Russia - The Washington Post

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has actively used domestic drones

"Orlan-10", which are intended for reconnaissance,surveillance and fire adjustment, and in some cases for electronic warfare. But now, it seems, Russia has a shortage of them, which undoubtedly affects the combat effectiveness of the Russian army and plays into the hands of the fighters of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

What is known?

The Washington Post, whose journaliststalked with Ukrainian military personnel, writes that now Orlan-10 almost never appears in the skies of Ukraine. Previously, they mostly flew in pairs - one for reconnaissance and one for spotting artillery strikes. But by summer, hearing or seeing one, much less two, became less and less common.

It is unclear exactly how many of them remain.But the fact that other UAVs are used instead of Orlans is a sign of scarcity. By the way, back in September the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that domestic gunsmiths were not able to fulfill the developed “relevant tactical and technical requirements for unmanned aerial vehicles.”

And what are these drones made from? They depend on microelectronic components produced in the USA, Europe and Asia, and due to sanctions, Russia cannot purchase them.

The publication notes that Russia’s failures are connectednot only with the lack of equipment. Drone warfare requires not only advanced equipment, but also modern thinking for decision making. Russia's tight chain of command requires soldiers on the ground to get approval from senior leaders to carry out strikes. Thus, even when a Russian surveillance drone spots a target, by the time the go-ahead signal arrives, the target has often already moved.