The Hedgehog Howitzer Is Hard To Drone
Metal quills appear on a Ukrainian 2P22
Ukrainian forces are up-armoring some of their artillery to further protect the already-sturdy big guns from Russian drones. Add a new species to the taxonomy of the Russia-Ukraine war: the hedgehog howitzer.
It’s goofy-looking. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t work. “The adaptation battle continues, with drone protection for artillery pieces,” retired Australian army general Mick Ryan wrote.
Late last month, the Ukrainian army’s 68th Artillery Brigade posted a photo of a made-in-Ukraine 2P22 155-millimeter towed howitzer with two types of add-one armor. A metal cope cage surrounding the breech. And metal quills on the long barrel.
The same quills are a popular additions to tanks and other fighting vehicles on both sides of the war. Made of unraveled aluminum cabling, the quills can intercept incoming first-person-view drones, triggering them at a safe distance from the vehicle.
