All-out Drone War In Ukraine Points To Future

Deployed on a scale never seen before to carry out both surveillance and strikes, drones ranging from small commercially-available models to larger aircraft have become a defining feature of the Ukraine conflict. Drones have been a part of warfare for years, employed extensively by the United States during the "War on Terror," and they have played important roles in conflicts including in Iraq and in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. But the degree to which they are being used by both sides in Ukraine -- and the benefits they bring, as well as the threats they pose -- highlights the importance for militaries to be ready to employ and to counter drones in future conflicts. "The size and the scale of drone use in Ukraine supersedes all the previous conflicts," said Samuel Bendett, a researcher in uncrewed military systems who is an analyst with the CNA Russia Studies Program. Bendett stressed the "absolutely unprecedented use of commercial-type drones" for both surveillance and combat in Ukraine, and said the war has shown that "small... tactical drones are absolutely essential -- at every unit, every platoon level, every company level."