Sea drones in Russia-Ukraine war: Will they revolutionise the future of naval warfare?

A Ukrainian security source said that drones on August 4 targeted a port in southern Russia, which was used as a base by Moscow's Black Sea fleet. Moscow has denied claims related to any attack, but a video was released in which a Russian vessel was seen being moved and towed as if it was damaged.

Such accusations are not new. During the course of the Russia-Ukraine war, Russian authorities have accused Ukraine of launching sea drones against its vessels.

If it is true, this will become a turning point in the ongoing war, with Ukraine taking the war to Russia and key Russian assets.

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Analysts and experts across the world are discussing ways to end the war, which was launched by Russian President Vladimir Putin last year on February 24. But attacks by sea drones can be seen as an escalation.

The use of aerial drones is not quite extensive during the conflict yet, but this new type of seaborne technology is gaining traction. Experts have said that it has the potential to revolutionise the future of naval warfare.

What are sea drones?

Underwater drones or remotely operated vehicles (ROVs)are submersible, tethered, and highly manoeuvrable drones designed to operate underwater.

Sea drone has built-in explosives and cameras, which sends images and videos to the person who is controlling them.

Underwater ROVs come in a variety of sizes and can also be customised to fulfil the specific requirements of a wide range of maritime and subsea industries and applications.

Many agencies and organisations that previously relied on expensivesubmarines and human divers to carry out underwater activities,have replaced them with underwater ROVs due to their versatility and cost-effectiveness.

Asset monitoring, infrastructure inspections, public safety, search and rescue/recovery, defence and security, academia, and environmental conservation are a few examples.

Use of sea drones

Sea drones are used in aquaculture, shipping, offshore energy, utilities, public works, search and rescue, academia, and defence.

The usage in defence and security is vital and these drones can be helped to clear mines, carry out surveillance or detonate near targets like enemy ships.

Because of their compact size and 360° omnidirectional manoeuvrability, underwater drones are a safe and efficient way to remotely evaluate and monitor assets and conduct inspections while reducing both operational costs and human risks.

Use of sea drones in the Russia-Ukraine war

Since the start of the war, several reports have emerged of sea drones. Once, one underwater dronereportedly washed up on the shores of Russia-occupied Crimea. Ukraine also unveiled a prototype of an unmanned undersea drone called the Toloka TLK-150. However, there's no confirmed report.

The number of attacks in the Black Sea has increased from both sides since Moscow exited a deal last month that had allowed Ukrainian grain exports via the shipping hub during the conflict between the two countries.

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Media reports and announcements by Russian and Ukrainian authorities suggest that Kyiv launched a total of at least 12 attacks with sea drones. They apparently targeted military ships, the naval base in Sevastopol, and Novorossiysk harbour.

A Ukrainian intelligence source told the news agency Reuters that on August 5 a Ukrainian maritime drone carrying 450 kg of explosives hit a Russian tanker near the Crime bridge. The tanker was damaged in the attack and two tugboats had arrived at the scene, the state-run TASS news agency said, citing the Maritime Rescue Centre.

The Moscow Times identified the vessel as the chemical tanker SIG, which is under US sanctions for supplying jet fuel to Russian forces in Syria supporting President Bashar al-Assad. Traffic on the bridge linking the Moscow-annexed Crimean peninsula to Russia's mainland was halted for around three hours and resumed early Saturday, according to the highways information centre's Telegram channel.

On August 4, Ukraine said it had carried out a seaborne drone strike on a Russian navy ship at Novorossiysk naval base in southern Russia. Moscow hasn't reported any damage, but source-based media reports said that there was a crew of around 100 Russian servicemen on the vessel when it was attacked by a sea drone carrying 450 kilogrammes of TNT.

In May, images emerged showing drone ships approaching the Ivan Khurs, a Russian intelligence-gathering ship, however, it is unknown whether the ship was harmed. There have been other similar instances as well.

Such incidents show that sea drones are capable of reaching any target, including those that are a lot farther away.

Reports suggest that Ukraine's deployment of sea drones is at a relatively low cost. This could emerge as a new era for naval warfare and a crucial stage in the ongoing war. They are cheaper and harder to get detected, but there are challenges as well. Sea drones need constant communication with their controller and are difficult to handle while tracking moving targets, and more.

Russia: Ukrainian ports will face further attacks

After Ukrainian sea drones attacked Russian assets, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev suggested that Moscow would launch more strikes against Ukrainian ports in response to Kyiv's attacks in the Black Sea. He also threatened to hand Ukraine "an ecological catastrophe".

(With inputs from agencies)

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