Ukrainian forces just captured a Krasukha-4, a Russian radar system that jams the transmissions of any aircraft from 300 kilometers (186 miles) away – and for Russian forces, this is a major blow.
Although it’s unknown how Ukrainian troops got this Krasukha-4 it’s a substantial loss for the Russian troops because it’s a considerable intelligence asset for the foreign intelligence experts.
Krasukha-4 Broadband multifunctional jamming station
The Krasukha-4 is a truck-mounted anti-radar system that allows the strategic movement of troops and weapons while preventing their detection by manned or unmanned electronic surveillance and detection systems.
It operates by suppressing the radar system of current aircraft. However, it cancels ground radars, orbit spy satellites, and airborne radar as well as the Boeing E-3A AWACS, among others.
Its production started in 2010, and it joined service in 2014. But, it has been in development since the 1990s.
Ukraine got a superior intelligence device for electronic warfare
#Ukraine: We managed to identify this bizarre “container”, captured today by the UA forces near #Kyiv.
— 🇺🇦 Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) March 22, 2022
It is likely to be the command post of one of the most potent Russian EW system – 1RL257 Krasukha-4, used to suppress AWACS radars & radar reconnaissance satellites. pic.twitter.com/1VvKjGoM2p
Capturing one Krasukha-4 is a remarkable triumph for Ukrainian troops.
But, the most important achievement is that this command post can contain valuable information about Russian engineering– and used in the right way, it can prevent future attacks and build more sophisticated radars to surpass the Krasukha-4 countermeasures.
The intelligence officers in Ukraine will better understand Russian weapons and use them as a counterintelligence measure by studying their design. And in the medium and long term, they could even render this weapon ineffective by taking actions to avoid its electronic warfare capabilities.
Krasukha-4 performance in global battlefields
The United States (🇺🇸) will reportedly receive Russia’s (🇷🇺) Krasukha-4 mobile electronic warfare system, which was recently captured in #Ukraine (🇺🇦).
— Aerospace Intelligence (@space_osint) March 23, 2022
This is one of Russia’s most capable Electronic Warfare Systems and potentially an intelligence goldmine. pic.twitter.com/WUoRw0sE0E
Russian forces in Syria have already used this communications jamming system in Syria to block U.S. reconnaissance drones from receiving GPS satellite communications. Its use was considered a success as it prevented reconnaissance missions and succeeding attacks.
In Ukraine, it supports Russia to move forward and remain undetectable by drone radars. Notably, it’s considered efficacious against the Turkish Bayraktar drones used by Ukraine to attack tanks and armored vehicles.
However, the Krasukha hasn’t been used frequently in Ukraine… and some experts suggest that it hasn’t been widely mobilized because of the risk of being caught by enemy troops who may obtain intelligence information or even use this device against Russia.
For this reason, their capture represents a great success not only for Ukraine but also for the US because this Russian technology will strengthen NATO’s radars and perhaps further help Ukraine defend itself against Russia’s invasion.
A major setback for Russia that the U.S. will exploit very soon
In any case, the foreign intelligence officers in Ukraine will be able to receive valuable information about the workings of Russian technology and engineer the latest systems that could render the Krasukha-4 useless in the near future.
So, the development of countermeasures will give NATO a competitive advantage against modern Russian weapons in this electronic warfare that is just beginning.
Feature image credit: Krasukha-4 by the Russian Federation. Licensed under CC by 4.0
