Why Ukraine’s Remarkable (Naval) Attack On Sevastopol Will Go Down In History

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from
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2022/11/why-ukraines-remarkable-attack-on-sevastopol-will-go-down-in-history/

Artist's impression of the maritime drone (USV) attack on Sevastopol.
Although the Russian Navy was able to destroy some of the drones,
several got through. More attacks could follow.

Why Ukraine’s Remarkable Attack On Sevastopol Will Go Down In History

The sinking of the Russian cruiser Moskva is one of the greatest naval
victories in decades, and will deserve its place in history. But the
attack on Sevastopol, with maritime drones, can be seen as a bigger deal
in the long term. It had a dramatic affect on the Russian Navy. Here is
why it may have an affect on navies around the world.
H I Sutton 17 Nov 2022

Few would have predicted that, 9 months after the invasion, the
once-mighty Russian Black Sea Fleet is tied up in port. But that is
exactly what has happened. This is a result of a series of Ukrainian
naval victories and increasing capabilities. Not least the sinking of
the cruiser Moskva, the retaking of Snake Island and the arrival of
Harpoon missiles. But of all the developments, it is a small local
innovation which will be remembered as a turning point in naval history.

On October 29 2022 seven small ‘maritime drones’, called USVs (uncrewed
surface vessels) in navy parlance, attacked the Russian Navy at
Sevastopol. Barely the size of a canoe, they raced across the waves,
skimming towards their intended targets. A frigate and minesweeper were hit.

The damage was less than may have been hoped, the warheads barely
scratching their victims. But their impact went far beyond the sound of
their explosions. It sent the Russian Navy into protection mode,
essentially locking them in port.

The maritime drones penetrated the protected harbor. This must have had
a dramatic effect on the Russian Navy’s morale and sense of security.
New defenses were quickly added, new procedures imposed and there was
much less activity. Russia’s most powerful warships in the war are now
mostly tied up in port.

Why the Sevastopol Attack Is Historically Significant

The attack on Sevastopol was less spectacular than the sinking of the
landing ship Saratov, which was blown to smithereens in Berdyansk on
March 24. And much less so than the sinking of the Slava class cruiser
Moskva on April 13-14. It may have less individual impact on the outcome
of the war than the Moskva, but from a naval perspective it is likely to
be the attack which is remembered for its significance. For many it
marks the start of a new age in naval warfare.

This is not the first time that explosive laden USVs have been used to
attack enemy ships in conflict. But it is the clearest and cleanest
example to date, and the maritime drones involved more closely match
modern technologies. These drones leveraged modern communication systems
(likely Starlink), and mass tactics. The number involved and degree of
coordination was short of ‘swarm tactics’, but it was halfway there. So
it may be a preview of wars to come.

The drones were small and relatively cheap. Despite using the latest
technology, they were the sort of thing which can be built in almost any
garage. They leverage off-the-shelf civilian components such as popular
jet skis.

This means that the risk of use is very low. Ukraine had very little to
lose, in naval terms, from making the attack. They may have lost their
surprise factor now, but they remain a threat to the Russians and they
could easily be used again.

Defense analysts have been predicting swarm attacks for years. And
Western navies have been arming and training to better defend against
close-in surface threats. We can speculate that had the same drones been
attacking the U.S. Navy, or Royal Navy, they would have faired much
worse. But that doesn’t make them easy targets, or a threat which can be
dismissed. Western navies have invested so much into this threats
precisely because it is dangerous to expensive warships. But until now
it was largely theoretical.

What World Navies Can Learn From Ukraine’s Maritime Drones
Stepping back, the weaponization of small USVs seems obvious. It is
analogous to the weaponization of UAVs, especially the commercial
quadrotor types. Those too are changing the landscape of war. Yet, this
new trend in USVs was not as obvious as we may now believe.

Up to now, the growing number of USV programs in navies have completely
overlooked this use case. A survey of the USV programs of any leading
navy show many advanced and relevant designs. But they are focused on
unarmed tasks such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance
(ISR), or mine countermeasures. Some are armed, but more for a defensive
role.

Indeed, putting a warhead on a small USV and ramming an enemy warship
should have been obvious. But for political reasons, and possibly a lack
of imagination in some quarters, that’s not what navies were asking for.
That may now change.

These USVs will remain, individually, a relatively low threat to a well
trained and equipped navy. Especially as the element of surprise
recedes. But they could be a regular threat in any future war, part of
the fabric which cannot be ignored.

These types of weaponized USVs should not be the preserve of smaller
navies hoping for an asymmetric answer to a larger adversary. They
should be in the arsenals of major navies too. At the same time, it
should be recognized that part of their advantage is in their cheapness.
This is what translates into low risk of use and ability to sustain a
persistent threat through numbers. This means that requirements and
specifications need to be kept in check.

How quickly the USV market adapts to the new role remains to be seen.
But analysts and navies will be looking at this type of scenario for
years to come.

TAGS drone Russian Navy Ukraine USV
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AUTHORS

Posted by : H I Sutton
H I Sutton writes about the secretive and under-reported submarines,
seeking out unusual and interesting vessels and technologies involved in
fighting beneath the waves. Submarines, capabilities, naval special
forces underwater vehicles and the changing world of underwater warfare
and seabed warfare. To do this he combines the latest Open Source
Intelligence (OSINT) with the traditional art and science of defense
analysis. He occasionally writes non-fiction books on these topics and
draws analysis-based illustrations to bring the subject to life. In
addition, H I Sutton is a naval history buff and data geek. His personal
website about these topics is Covert Shores (www.hisutton.com)