I was also wondering this.
I don't doubt that between them they would have the mechanical know-how to make something like that work, but it seems like you would need some sort of A-Team-level talent to pull that together in a short period of time, unless this kind of attack has been in the planning for awhile.
Just going from the RC receiver, you're looking at 3 - 4 PWM channels.
I'm guessing 1 per side for throttle in the simplest implementation, and another for triggering the detonation (2 if you're smart and want to reduce chances of it detonating in the middle of your camp when you plug it in).
In an old tank like this, what's the minimal servo you'd need to control a throttle? (I genuinely don't know, maybe there's some kind of throttle control linkage that would be most mechanically efficient to manipulate?)
But the less hobby equipment (or maybe equipment cannibalized from large fixed-wing drones) they are able to use, the more complicated the implementation is going to get, translating digital signals to analog, different mechanisms to actuate non-servo electrical motors...
Or just send a very motivated/drunk private out there.
Usually in a situation like that, you'd use cable instead of wireless. You don't want your payload to go off too early or your tank to get jammed. My guess would be there is no gear shifting, just put it in first and have something to pull the track controls.
OTOH its russia, probably a drunk mobilik, as a human is the only computer that can be produced by unskilled labor.
The probing attacks are necessary however. It would be much more catastrophic for Ukraine to launch a massive attack, only for it to stall and grind down due to running into a brick wall. So, like it or not, Ukraine needs these attacks, costly as they are, to find a seam to hit.
I understand the tactical necessity, and it probably keeps Russia off balance trying to scramble troops to shore up the front; if you can keep taxing Russia's logistics by having to move men, they can't move materiel.
I also can also see from the maps and reports they are definitely having an effect on Russia where damn near every tube in on the front seems to be firing off, and that's going to be mean less ammo (and worn barrels, but Russia has never been big on accuracy) if a big push does come. Its taxing on the Russians as well as the Ukrainians.
Which is what worries me about this. They've had lots of white space to conduct intelligence collection and probing attacks. If they aren't able to close whatever intelligence gaps they might have with these attacks and get to a decisive action very soon, we have a big problem.
As a pessimist I really need to see some thrusting or even falling back in order to encircle Russian units before I can feel comfortable that this is part of a master plan.
This is sort of where I am. You are getting hit going in, you're getting hit and leaving guys falling back. Even if pushing back, due to the soviet/russian doctrine of defense in depth, even if the Russians lose their first line, their second line is manned and ready, tertiary lines are on alert and they have a chance to start prepping a new series of defenses.
You'd think that with as much Three-Letter satellite and SIG/HUMINT as they're getting there wouldn't be any need for probing attacks.
Again information to those on the outside is limited - Ukraine is maintaining Opsec, Media is honoring a black out, so what we're seeing is Russian Milbloggers taking advantage of the lack of Russian opsec to push out info. Ukraine is very stingy and sanitizing their releases. All this shapes up to the real time ; even the opening 48 of Kharkiv looked like a bunch of Ukrainian soldiers getting shot down on a desperation push until the fog of war cleared.
So I've got to presume the folks with more information have a plan, and the fact
I can't unravel is a good thing because it means Russia can't unravel it.
but its slavs adn the chance this is just dumbfuckery isn't zero.
