MILITARY DRONE SWARMS AND THE OPTIONS TO COMBAT THEM
Articles
Fri, 08/19/2022 - 11:14am
By Ryan Bridley and Scott Pastor
Introduction
The tactical use of drones is expanding as demonstrated from the past 100 years. Drones were first created in the U.S. and United Kingdom during World War I, though neither country employed them during the war.1 In World War II, the Nazis created the V-1 to serve as a missile.2 The U.S. employed drones for surveillance missions during the Vietnam War and utilized them frequently for counter-insurgency surveillance and strikes in Iraq and Afghanistan. Drones are now developed in and utilized by over 100 countries and non-state actors.3 Drone capabilities, manufacturers, and customers will likely continue increasing and a tactical shift in utilizing drone swarms is emerging. This article provides a broad overview on the current state of drones for commercial and military use, the impact drone swarms can play in the military environment, and the options available to combat swarms.
The Current State
DJI is a privately-owned Chinese company that manufactures more drones than any other company. In 2021, DJI produced 54% of all commercial drones worldwide and accounted for nearly 80% of commercial drones ordered by the U.S.4 Many American DJI customers are safety-based organizations like police departments and the National Park Service.5 Regardless of whether these organizations understand that China is a global competitor of the U.S., they purchased DJI’s drones due to their affordability and suitability for mission needs.6
If DJI or one of its competitors starts selling inexpensive military drones or commercial drones that can be weaponized by a third party, the global impact could be significant. For example, the Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drone, capable of carrying four MAM missiles, was used for engagements in Libya, Syria, and Azerbaijan, and then sold to Ukraine at $5 million per unit for its conflict with Russia. As of May 2022, the TB2 is responsible for the destruction of 750 land vehicles (including tanks), aerial vehicles, and artillery pieces.7 The TB2 demonstrates there are drones made by companies outside of the U.S., which are fully capable of meeting foreign military demands. In turn there may be a growing global demand for suicide drones.
https://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/military-drone-swarms-and-options-combat-them
