Drone operators are rapidly becoming a fourth pillar of modern warfare, reshaping tactics, defenses, and military structures in ways not seen since the rise of tanks and aircraft.
For eons, battles have been fought between infantry and cavalry, with the respective roles evolving with new tactical and technological advances.
Each had troops who fought with melee weapons and others who employed ranged weapons, such as bows. As tactics and technology advanced, various specialized roles emerged for infantry and cavalry. With the advent of gunpowder and artillery, there became three fundamental branches of military force, each playing a distinct role in warfare.
That has remained unchanged, even as new warfare platforms have been introduced. Modern cavalry may consist of armored vehicles and horses, while today’s artillery can be mobile guided-rocket launchers.
However, in the 21st century, a new infantry component is taking shape that could disrupt the modern battlefield: drone operators.
Drones are already being employed alongside missiles to strike Ukraine’s cities. At the same time, the Tehran-backed Houthi militants operating from Yemen have used low-cost drones to target commercial shipping as well as US Navy warships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Drone Attacks in Ukraine Have Changed Warfare Forever
As Ukraine’s recent drone strikes on Russia’s air bases earlier this month, and Israel’s use of drones to destroy Iran’s air defense systems last week both showed, small unmanned aerial systems (UAS) continue to be force multipliers, serving in a special forces role rather than as part of a coordinated air strike.
First-person view (FPV) drones have become a new form of infantry in the war in Ukraine, accounting for up to 80 percent of Russian battlefield casualties, according to a recent report from The Atlantic Council.
Kyiv seeks to produce upwards of 200,000 low-cost FPV drones monthly, each “capable of destroying tanks and other military equipment worth millions of dollars.” That number would increase over the one million total drones Ukraine produced last year, while Kyiv could make more than two million UAS this year.
Moreover, Ukraine’s forces are employing FPV drones and other UAS to create a nearly nine-mile deep “kill zone.” Instead of being patrolled by small infantry teams, FPV drones serve that role and can move deeper into enemy territory.
That could make “it extremely challenging [for Russia] to concentrate troops for major offensive operations.” Ukraine’s “drone wall” defensive line would be put to the test should Russia launch an offensive this year, and it would influence NATO planners in how such a “drone wall” could be employed to bolster “the alliance’s eastern flank,” The Atlantic Council added.
Russia Is Now Introducing Its Own Drone Force
The Kremlin has learned many lessons from its more than three-year-long war in Ukraine, and that has included how drones have changed the battlefield dynamic. Even as NATO is studying how drones can be employed as part of a defensive line, Russia is now exploring taking the role of drones even further.
According to a report from the Russian state news agency TASS, President Vladimir Putin has called for the establishment of a dedicated branch of the Russian Army that will build and deploy drones in combat.
“We are currently building drone troops as a separate branch of the military, and these should be developed and deployed as soon as possible,” Putin said, while acknowledging that countering drones has required “new approaches and non-standard solutions.”
The Russian leader added, “The new state arms program should provide for forming a universal air defense system that would function in any situation and effectively hit means of air attack, regardless of their type.”
The US Army Is Also Creating a Drone Force
Russia won’t be the only country to have a drone force. Last year, the US Army’s 3rd Infantry Division began experimenting with teams employing drones and electronic warfare (EW) tactics. The unit recently participated in exercises with NATO allies at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in the Hohenfels Training Area, Germany.
However, this wasn’t an attempt to create a new unit to strike an adversary. Instead, it sought to determine how best to counter the drone threat. The unit employed an “EnforceAir 2 cUAS Software-Defined Radio (SDR) Drone Detector” during the recent Combined Resolve 25-02 NATO exercises. The platform was developed to defend against various UAS, including FPV drones, as part of the US Army’s “Transforming in Contact” initiative.
Drones are changing the battlefield, and while the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East are the first “drone wars,” these will certainly not be the last. Drones have the potential to be a bigger game changer than the machine gun, the tank, and the aeroplane combined.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a thirty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image Credit: Shutterstock/Anelo.
