Trenches have been used in warfare for hundreds of years and will not disappear anywhere yet. They are important for defense and can still be effective. However, the war in Ukraine shows that the old architecture of military trenches no longer works in all cases. This is because of the advent of small attack drones, typically based on commercial UAVs.
Ukrainian soldier in a trench with an anti-drone electronic warfare weapon. Image credit: Mil.gov.ua via Wikimedia (CC BY 4.0)
Trenches, popularised in warfare during the First World War (although, of course, they were used much earlier), make it possible to create good defensive positions in the open fields. It is like fortifications sunk into the ground without steel or concrete. Almost the entire body of a soldier is hidden in the ground where enemy bullets cannot reach him.
In addition, if the trenches are well designed and established, they also provide a good cover from conventional artillery shells, because howitzers shoot in a rather flat trajectory and their shells cannot reach the bottom of the trenches. Mortars became popular during WW1 precisely as a way to attack trenches with high-trajectory projectiles.
Of course, modern artillery shells do have some tricks against trench warfare. For example, cluster munitions can release bomblets that can roll into trenches. Also, there are air-burst shells that explode above trenches, covering a larger area with shrapnel.
The shape of trenches, digging methods, and plans is a very complicated topic. The fact that you sometimes see trenches that resemble dotted lines or zigzags is not accidental. All of those forms have their functions and were developed through lessons learned in battle.
The war in Ukraine offers new lessons. Trenches provide cover from bullets and artillery, but soon new soldiers will be taught how to establish trenches that protect them from tiny drones. This includes suicide drones that are FPV-controlled and can dive even into deep dugouts and small drones-bombers.
Here’s an example of drone warfare against trenches in Ukraine:
This video is said to show drone attacks with thermobaric munitions. It’s hard to confirm that, but it is evident that trenches don’t protect against small drones that well.
How can military trenches be improved to provide a better cover from small drones? It is difficult to say. Various jamming devices do help a little. Anti-drone nets and fences, better camouflage, closed dugouts and better drone-detection capabilities are all very important features. Time will tell how they can be incorporated in the future if trenches are still used.
Written by Povilas M.
Sources: Wikipedia, Censor.net