Drone warfare comes of age.

DRONES MAY SOON BECOME IRRELEVANT

NEXT WILL BE DRONE DEFENSE  

The Ukraine/Russia conflict has moved drone warfare to be an integral part of present warfare. Ukraine has improvised cheap commercial drones to drop hand grenades into trenches and open tank hatches. Russia, slightly behind in the beginning of the conflict, has now enhanced its use of drones and now has drones swarms that can serval the landscape and communicate with other drones to enable them to all converge on discovered targets.

We also see UK supplied water surface and even underwater drones supplied to Ukraine. The U.S. uses large surveillance drones to provide targeting data to Ukraine. 

The United States has used drones for years to assassinate opposition leaders in Iraq, and Afghanistan. Drones that can fit in the palm of your hand and drones that are almost as big as a fighter plane equipped with missiles and bombs.

China, Iran, Turkey, Israel, Russia, Uk and U.S. all make drones and they have become a key part of defensive and offensive warfare. While the sophistication and capabilities are continually advancing, we can soon expect new counter drone capabilities. It is reported that Russia now has a new Lazor system that can continually fire and take down drones, even at long distance. The defense will be a more sophisticated and a harder nut to crack for small less affluent nations.

The biggest threat from drones may be the opportunity it places at the hands of terrorists and the mentally unbalanced as a new opportunity to sow discord and chaos. These drones can be placed in a back pack  or large purse and can drop explosives and incendiaries into populated places or targets. While I don't recall seeing this happening yet, I am sure all this interest in drones will not go unnoticed. I have seen drones equipped with 4 k cameras for as low as $69.00. The possibilities of what can be done with these drones is endless.

Eventually drones in real military conflicts will become less effective as counter measures are perfected, but I expect the use of drones will continue to have a place in future conflicts for some time to come. In the end, boots on the ground will still decide the result of future conflicts.