Russia is developing a fundamentally new air defense system built around mobile units capable of engaging aerial targets at different altitudes, according to military correspondent and Hero of Russia Yevgeny Poddubny.

Poddubny said the emerging structure includes elements that were not previously part of conventional air defense. Its foundation consists of layered mobile fire groups operating under different commands and assigned separate combat tasks.

These units are positioned along likely flight paths used by enemy drones. Individual groups are responsible for different altitude ranges and types of targets, creating a coordinated, multi-level defensive network.

Poddubny identified three factors that determine the effectiveness of counter-drone operations: modern radar systems capable of detecting unmanned aircraft, the mobility of fire teams and clear coordination between all participating units.

In his assessment, drone threats become far less severe when detection equipment, mobile crews and inter-unit cooperation function as a single system.

The rapid development of unmanned technology has forced armies around the world to reconsider traditional air defense concepts. The widespread use of drones has changed the nature of modern warfare and created new requirements for protecting airspace.