Russia Navy's plans to equip its ships with anti-drone capabilities.

According to information published by Izvestia on July 13, 2023, Russian Navy ships will be equipped with additional anti-drone capabilities, according to a modernization plan approved by Russia's Ministry of Defense.
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Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) as it passes the Mubarak Peace Bridge in the Suez Canal. (Picture source: Dvids)

The enhancements will include countermeasures against both surface and underwater drones, informed sources within the military department told Izvestia.

The ships will feature additional electronic warfare stations and special fire points equipped with large-caliber machine guns. A portion of Russian warships has already undergone the corresponding modernization, including at least one amphibious ship, according to Izvestia's sources.

The additional protection of the Russian Navy is not only relevant considering the experience from special military operations in Ukraine, but also in light of the potential use of combat drones by terrorist organizations, Admiral Valentin Selivanov, former Chief of the Naval Staff, told Izvestia.

The emergence of such weaponry - reconnaissance and strike drones - has extended their potential use to terrorists, posing threats globally. As our ships navigate the world's oceans, docking in any nation's port for resupply or a visit, it is prudent for us to plan the implementation of special drone countermeasures onboard.

The need for additional ship protection became evident after several attacks on the Russian fleet. In particular, in May of this year, surface drones attacked the reconnaissance ship "Ivan Khurs", which was securing the "Turkish Stream" and "Blue Stream" gas pipelines in Turkey's exclusive economic zone.

In October last year, Ukraine launched a massive drone attack on Black Sea Fleet ships at the naval base in Sevastopol. The attack involved nine unmanned aerial vehicles and seven unmanned surface vehicles.