The Russian military has been using Shahed suicide drones against Ukraine with great effect.
The US Army “absolutely needs” suicide drones like the ones the Russian military is using in Ukraine, according to an Army general.
America Needs Shahed-Like Suicide Drones
Speaking to reporters, Army Major General James (Jay) Bartholomees, the commanding general of the 25th Infantry Division, said that the Army “absolutely” needs Shahed-like suicide drones.
“We are behind on long-range sensing and long-range launched-effect strike,” Bartholomees stated, speaking at the Association of the U.S. Army’s (AUSA) annual symposium.
The Russian military has been using Shahed suicide drones against Ukraine with great effect.
“We absolutely need to build this capability quickly. We need to test it in our region; we also need to work with our allies and partners to do the same,” the senior Army officer added.
The US military has fallen somewhat behind in the development of smaller drones like the Shahed. However, overall, the US military has pioneered drone operations. So, the operational and production know-how and expertise are there.
“I think we can catch up very rapidly. The formations that we built are ready for those capabilities to land,” Bartholomees said.
The 25th Infantry Division plans to create a launched effects company to augment the already working launched effects platoon within the unit’s multifunctional reconnaissance company. One company in an entire division might not be enough, however. Drones need to be incorporated into the squad level and increase the lethality and reconnaissance capabilities of tactical formations. Larger drones like the Shahed could be assigned to a company in every battalion as opposed to one company in the division.
The Army’s 25th Infantry Division is based in Hawaii and is one of the few Army formations focused on the Indo-Pacific area of operations—due to the geography of the region, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps units are far more prevalent in the region.
Suicide drones like the Shahed are designed to destroy on impact. They are human-controlled from the ground and can fly for thousands of miles. Although vulnerable to enemy air defenses, suicide drones are expendable. They would be particularly useful in an operational environment like the Indo-Pacific, where vast distances over water necessitate kinetic long-range capabilities.
The Shahed Drones
Made in Iran, Shahed unmanned aerial systems have allowed the Russian forces to strike against Ukrainian military targets, critical infrastructure, and urban centers for years. Easy and cheap to manufacture (it is estimated that a Shahed drone costs around $35,000), Shahed drones are ideal for sustained attacks on frontline and strategic targets.
The suicide drone has a range of approximately 1,250 miles and carries an 88-lb. payload, or the equivalent of around three 155mm artillery rounds.
One of the best attributes of suicide drones like the Shahed is that a military force can use them en masse to flood an adversary’s air defenses in a single attack or in large numbers over a prolonged period of time. For example, over a period of about two years (September 2022 to December 2024), the Ukrainian Air Force estimated that Russia launched over 14,700 suicide drones against Ukraine. Most of these drones were from the Shahed family of unmanned aerial systems.
The Shahed-136 is probably the most distinguished drone in its unmanned aerial system family.
About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
Image: Shutterstock.
