The Militant Drone Playbook
Austin C. Doctor and James Igoe Walsh
August 12, 2021
Since January, militants in Iraq and Syria have attempted or executed nearly a dozen weaponized drone attacks against American targets. Most of these involved midsize fixed-wing craft crashing into their targets and detonating, while some involved smaller quadcopter-style drones dropping lightweight munitions, often a 40 mm grenade. None of these attacks have resulted in fatalities or critical damage, but they did prompt the Biden administration to order retaliatory airstrikes against the militant groups behind them.
For years, defense and security leaders have called attention to militants’ increasingly adept use of drones. Earlier this year, U.S. Central Command Gen. Kenneth McKenzie referred to the proliferation of small drones as the “most concerning tactical development” in Iraq since the emergence of improvised explosive devices. But while it is clear that militant drone operations pose a threat, there has been less consensus on the nature and scope of that threat.
https://warontherocks.com/2021/08/the-militant-drone-playbook/
