Today, in the military field, unmanned aeriel vehicles (UAV) are designed in a dual-use direction. They can be used for many different missions with increasingly massive scales and diversified operational methods. To effectively detect and combat these dangerous weapon systems requires many measures, in which the proper organisation, use, and arrangement of the army air defence force is a vital matter and deserves research and effective, flexible application.

In recent conflicts around the world, especially the Russia-Ukraine military conflict, UAVs prove an increasingly important role in air attack. They not only conduct reconnaissance, airborne early warning, electronic warfare, but are armed with precision weapons to become very effective offensive weapon systems. Being low-cost munitions with diversified sizes and flexible flight modes, UAVs can operate independently, launch suicide attacks or swarm attacks, and be used at tactical, operational, strategic levels. Thanks to their superior technical, tactical features, UAVs play an indispensible role in modern wars.

In the war to safeguard the Fatherland (should it occur), the organisation, use, and arrangement of the counter-UAV force are a vital element of the army air defence force. They are all of the solutions, arrangement, and placement of forces, weapon systems, and technical equipment according to an intention and unified plan of the combined arms commander in battles, phases of concentrated operations, and in the whole theatre of war. This will help to establish the posture in favour of engaging enemy UAVs extensively and persistently from long to short ranges with a focus on the key direction and main objective while sparing the reserve to respond to situations. On the basis of assigned tasks, the army air defence force can be organised, employed, and arranged as follows.

First, the reconnaissance, observation, and early warning force. Accordingly, the reconnaissance force must be organised properly on the basis of capability of the existing units. The air defence force of military regions, army corps, services, and arms can set up some observation stations in all directions. These stations must also be established at the infantry division, province, city levels but in a smaller number. Air defence artillery battalions can set up at least one observation station and some observation posts. The district-level air defence force may establish some observation posts. The observation stations and posts. These observation stations and posts are organised closely and fully equipped with visual, audio devices and radios to coordinate recconnaissance with that of the Air Defence – Air Force to  timely detect targets and inform each other, especially in the main directions where enemy air force, including UAVs, approach to conduct reconnaissance and attacks.

The observation stations, radars, reconnaissance assets, etc., are often placed on heights and positions conducive to obersation and detection of coming targets, focusing on the likely approaches of enemy UAVs. They are normally placed in the border areas, along the seashore, on offshore islands, and main directions of attack. The air defence obersation stations of infantry regiments and divisions should be sited within combat zones of units, on heights, and in the likely approaches of enemy UAVs. The observation stations and posts of the provincial, urban defence zones should be set up on combat bases, heights, and positions  conducive to observation and detection of targets while avoiding being attacked and maintaining proper distances from the operational zones.

Anti-aircraft gun practicing air defence

Second, the force directly protects key targets or groups of targets. This is the key element of the army air defence force to engage enemy UAVs to defend critical targets and groups of targets. This force is usually organised into the fixed and mobile counter-UAV units.

The fixed unit is in charged of countering UAVs to protect critical areas of military regions, army corps, services, and arms during operations. The organisation and use of this unit are based on characteristics, nature, and number of targets to be defended. As for a target area, a reinforced air defence artillery battalion can be used in conjuntion with air defence detachments of the defence zone. To defend point targets may require independent air defence detachments, about one or two air defence artillery companies in coordination with the air defence detachment of the defence zone. Units directly in charge of protecting targets are deployed around these targets with approximate distances and concentration on the most likely approaches of enemy reconnaissance and armed UAVs.

The mobile counter-UAV unit is organised into small-scale air defence detachments. On the basis of the predicting likely approaches of enemy reconnaissance, armed UAVs, the detachments select tactics and positions suitable for engaging UAVs. They are also required to move constantly to ambush enemy UAVs. During operations, air defence detachments are organised into low-altitude ground-to-air missile companies and sections, anti-aircraft machine gun platoons and batteries, and squads combating low-flying UAVs by infantry guns. These units are deployed mostly in the likely approaches of enemy reconnaissance, armed UAVs.

Third, the force in charge of protecting the combined arms formation. To secure combined arms units in operations, the army air defence force must be organised, employed, and arranged in a scientific, close, proper manner. Of note, the air defence force’s main task is to secure forces undertaking defence, attack, and counter-attack through engaging enemy air assets, especially UAVs. The force is also ready to engage enemy targets on the ground and on the surface of water. It can be organised into elements to protect the combined arms units undertaking defence, attack, and counter-attack in the main and subordinate directions and areas. The force is usually placed on both flanks of the protected targets with an appropriate distance, ensuring that it is capable of engaging drones, securing targets, and defending mobile targets.

The air defence force in charge of engaging enemy drones to secure artillery units must be organised properly on the basis of the organisation of artillery force of each combined arms unit and provincial, municipal defence zone. When independent artillery sites are organised in directions and areas, the army air defence must also have air defence attachments to secure these sites. To make the artillery sites safe, the army air defence force must be properly organised on the ground of the organisation, employment, and placement of the artillery force, air defence capacity, and operations intent. Usually this force is organised into air defence detachments, which always go with and secure artillery sites during operations.

The air defence force in charge of engaging enemy UAVs to protect headquarters at all echelons is organised into low-altitude ground-to-air missile sections, anti-aircraft machine gun sections, and squads combating low-flying UAVs by infantry guns. This force is placed properly on the basis of features of each low-altitude ground-to-air missile.

Fourth, the on-site, extensive counter-UAV force. This is the largest force and organised at all echelons and units in operational areas, military regions, and theatres of war. The force consists of army air defence detachments of provincial, municipal defence zones and squads combating low-flying UAVs by infantry guns of units and localities. Accordingly, the militia and self-defence force air defence can be organised into air defence artillery, anti-aircraft companies, platoons, and batteries as well as squads combating low-flying UAVs by infantry guns in battalions, companies, people-politics-party organisations, militia and self-defence force, and so on. When the on-site, extensive counter-UAV force is used, it must be consistent with unified intentions; capable of bringing into play capacity, strong points, and fighting methods of each element and in accordance with counter-UAV missions in the area; make the most of people’s air defence; and conduct camouflage and other methods to deceive enemy UAVs and prevent and counter electronic warfare and high-tech weapons.

The local air defence force, which is the main force participating in countering UAVs locally and extensively, must be organised properly on the basis of operations capacity, missions, and protected targets. The air defence artillery (or anti-aircraft machine gun) battalions of provinces and cities as well as the anti-aircraft companies of districts are used for engaging drones to secure critical targets. They are also the forces in charge of engafing drones locally and extensively in operational areas. All of the air defence force of provincial, municipal defence zone is used to engage enemy drone locally and extensively in the operational area to protect targets of the provincial, municipal defence zone and undertake people’s air defence. The placement of the on-site, extensive counter-UAV force must be flexible and ensure unanimity across the operational area.

Fifth, the reserve counter-UAV force. The reserve counter-UAV force must be organised properly on the basis of the combined arms commanders’ concept of operations, operation of UAVs, and capacity of the army air defence force. Usually, the reserve air defence force of military regions, army corps, services, arms, and provincial, municipal defence zones is organised into independent air defence detachments under the direct managment of the combined arms commanders.

The organisation, employment, and placement of the army air defence force are an extremely important topic today. The author has an honour to offer initial thoughts about this content.

Senior Colonel, Doctor NGUYEN VAN DUC, Air Defence – Air Force Academy