Wednesday, 29 June 2022 06:23

Ukraine war shows limits of drone warfare

Rate this item
(0 votes)

In early June, as the U.S. was rushing to provide financial and military support for Ukraine, reports said that four American-made Gray Eagle drones would be part of the package. These are armed drones that are larger than the well-known Predator drone, which became a symbol of the global war on terror. However, the planned sale of these few expensive, complex drones has run into some hurdles because of concern that they might get shot down and their sophisticated systems could fall into Russian hands.

While the Pentagon isn’t elaborating on the status of the Gray Eagle sales, the overall challenge that Ukraine faces in using drones against Russia illustrates the limits of drone warfare. Over the past few decades, there have been many prophecies about how drones will “transform our lives,” from stories about drones making pizza deliveries to discussions about “drone swarms” that could be used to overwhelm enemies in combat.

When Russia invaded Ukraine, it put a renewed spotlight on the use of armed drones in conventional wars: The world saw how armed drones might work when both countries have them — and both have air defenses that can shoot them down. Previously, countries that had a plethora of drones generally were fighting wars against insurgents or groups/countries that didn’t have drones. This was the case with the U.S. experience in Afghanistan, for example.

Early reports from Ukraine said that Ukraine’s two dozen Turkish Bayraktar drones, a UAV that is smaller than the Predator, were able to take out Russian forces. One report praised these drones for changing the “nature of warfare.” However, now reports about the success of the Bayraktar in Ukraine have slackened. It’s unclear whether the drones are simply not operating near the new front lines in the Donbas, or whether they are running low on the missiles they use.

The nature of drone warfare is that it is clandestine; militaries don’t acknowledge that their drones may not be working well. In a conflict where everyone has smartphones, if drones are being used someone probably will take videos of them. This is because drones tend to be loud, like a flying lawnmower, and you can often see or hear them from the ground. The Associated Press reported that a video posted online on June 22 showed an alleged Ukrainian kamikaze drone flying into a Russian refinery.

Western countries want to supply Ukraine with armaments and a variety of drones are on the shopping list, including kamikaze drones such as the small Switchblade made in the U.S. These won’t turn the tide anytime soon. In eastern Ukraine, where fighters in Kyiv face a tough battle with Russian troops, the limits of drone warfare appear to be on display. Conventional weapons, such as masses of artillery, are wreaking havoc. With only a few complex armed drones, Ukraine can’t afford to use or lose its drones.

The “era of the drone” hasn’t arrived because countries that use them often don’t deploy enough of them, or are afraid to lose them in battle. In conflicts where they have been used, such as in Libya, they didn’t turn the tide. Despite widespread employment, drones didn’t stop the Taliban in Afghanistan. One can blame wider political policies for this result, asserting that countries simply haven’t given drone operators free rein to use them successfully.

Nevertheless, the current limitations on use of drones in war is related to the supply of drones and operating guidelines for their use. To wage a large-scale drone war, the countries that use them need more than a few armed drones — and they need to not fear losing some of them. The whole point of unmanned aerial vehicles is that they can be used for dull, dirty, dangerous missions, especially those in which a country doesn’t want to risk sacrificing pilots.

 

The Hill

April 26, 2025

Nigerian Stock Market dips after three-day rally

The Nigerian stock market ended its three-day bullish streak on Friday with a 0.3% decline…
April 21, 2025

Tunde Bakare to Tinubu: ‘Stop playing God, embrace humility’

In a fiery Easter Sunday state-of-the-nation address delivered in Lagos, Tunde Bakare, the serving overseer…
April 23, 2025

Don’t wait for the ‘perfect’ time to make big life decisions, says Phoenix mayor

Kate Gallego Kate Gallego knew she wanted to run for mayor of Phoenix, but the…
April 26, 2025

Declassified CIA file about UFO aliens attacking soldiers released

A declassified document posted to the CIA’s website is raising eyebrows with claims of an…
April 26, 2025

COINCIDENCE? Three times trucks have rammed into Christian processions in Gombe, The Cable queries

In Gombe state, there is a disturbing trend: vehicles crashing into processions of Christians during…
April 26, 2025

What to know after Day 1157 of Russia-Ukraine war

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE Russia and Ukraine 'very close to a deal', says Trump US President Donald…
April 25, 2025

Artificial sweetener found in diet drinks linked to brain changes that increase appetite, study finds

A growing body of evidence has increasingly linked diet sodas and other no- or low-calorie…
January 08, 2025

NFF appoints new Super Eagles head coach

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has appointed Éric Sékou Chelle as the new Head Coach…

NEWSSCROLL TEAM: 'Sina Kawonise: Publisher/Editor-in-Chief; Afolabi Ajibola: IT Manager;
Contact Us: [email protected] Tel/WhatsApp: +234 811 395 4049

Copyright © 2015 - 2025 NewsScroll. All rights reserved.