Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Vikram Mittal is a contributor who covers aerospace and defense.Follow AuthorJun 02, 2026, 05:40am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI.“Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI.“Learn more.Image captured from video posted on social media by the Russian Ministry of Defense on April 6, 2026. The video showed a Nona-S self-propelled howitzer with counter-drone protection. As the vehicle moved into position, soldiers got off from the vehicle with shotguns to watch for Ukrainian drones.Social Media CaptureDrones currently account for 70 to 80 percent of losses on the Russia-Ukraine battlefield, supplanting artillery as the "King of Battle." At first glance, this shift suggests that both Russia and Ukraine have transitioned away from traditional artillery in favor of cutting-edge drones as a means of delivering fires. The reality is that drones cannot replicate the firepower of artillery, which remains central to Russian and Ukrainian combat operations. This shift has occurred not because drones are superior to artillery, but because drones have made artillery far more difficult to employ. Both sides use drones extensively to locate and target enemy guns, forcing artillery units to adapt their tactics in order to survive and continue delivering limited firepower on an increasingly transparent battlefield.

Despite their growing use, drones still face several limitations. There is an inherent trade-off between payload capacity, battery life, maneuverability, and flight speed. As a result, many drones lack the payload necessary to reliably destroy armored vehicles, fortified positions, and other hardened targets. Drones are also vulnerable to weather, terrain effects, and electronic warfare. In addition, most drone operations still rely on one operator controlling one drone, making it difficult to coordinate large-scale attacks involving multiple systems.

As a result, drones and artillery are often employed together rather than as substitutes for one another. Many of the drone-related effects are still caused by artillery, with a drone identifying a target followed by artillery delivering the destructive effects. The Russian Ministry of Defense posts videos daily showcasing artillery units engaging Ukrainian positions identified by reconnaissance drones. A number of Ukrainian units have posted similar videos on their social media showing this interplay between drones and artillery.

Images captured from a video posted on social media. A Ukrainian drone detects a Russian artillery position (left). A Ukrainian artillery unit fires its howitzers at this target (center). The Ukrainian drone tracks where the rounds hit to ensure the Russian artillery position is destroyed.Social Media CaptureArtillery also performs functions that drones cannot easily replicate. Offensive operations require the ability to suppress enemy positions, neutralize defensive strongpoints, and shape the battlefield before an assault. A single artillery battery can deliver sustained fires across a large area and engage multiple targets simultaneously. Furthermore, artillery rounds can penetrate trees and light structures before detonating, allowing them to engage targets that are difficult for drones to reach. Beyond physical destruction, artillery is needed to suppress enemy movements, disrupt command and control, degrade logistics, and force units to remain under cover for extended periods.

Historically, artillery units have employed a shoot-and-scoot approach in which a howitzer executes a fire mission and then relocates before enemy counterbattery systems can respond. Drones have accelerated this process. The battlefield is now filled with reconnaissance drones searching for artillery positions. Once an artillery unit is detected, drones can direct artillery fires, guide loitering munitions, or conduct strikes with bomber drones. Improvements in optics, thermal imaging, and image processing make it increasingly difficult for artillery units to remain concealed for extended periods. As a result, mobility, concealment, and rapid displacement have become critical to artillery survivability.

Both Russian and Ukrainian artillery units have adapted by combining concealment with rapid movement. In many cases, self-propelled howitzers remain hidden in secure positions until called upon to support a fire mission. They then move into pre-prepared firing positions, quickly fire a number of rounds, and immediately relocate. Videos released by the Russian Ministry of Defense show artillery crews deploying security personnel armed with shotguns to watch for approaching drones while the howitzer is in position and firing. Ukrainian units employ many of the same practices, relying on camouflage, dispersed firing positions, and rapid displacement to reduce their exposure.