| Category | Examples | Works against |
|---|---|---|
| Soft kill | RF jamming, GPS spoofing, net capture | RF-controlled and GPS-dependent systems |
| Hard kill | Anti-aircraft guns, MANPADS, directed energy | Physical destruction, regardless of control method |
Practical experience in Ukraine reveals a consistent pattern:
Worked
MANPADS against Shaheds at peak effectiveness; RF jamming forcing COTS drones to return home; GPS spoofing exploiting built-in safety features.
Failed
Radar alone; GPS jamming against inertially/AI-navigated systems; a single defensive line against wave attacks; kinetic intercept in the final seconds of a dive.
Key point
Any standalone countermeasure gets bypassed within a few adaptation cycles (see Chapter 4.2). Only combinations keep pace.