Modern Warfare
72 Drones in Modern War
Peyton Mast and Brendan Popielec
Introduction
The advent of drone technology has significantly transformed the landscape of modern warfare (Kreps & Lushenko, 2023). This technology has introduced a new dimension to how wars are fought, changing traditional warfare tactics and strategies. This chapter explores the evolution of drone use in war, its effectiveness, and the societal and ideological perspectives surrounding it. It also delves into the role of technology in modern warfare and provides examples of how drone technology is being utilized in current conflicts, such as the Russian-Ukrainian war.
The Evolution and Effectiveness of Drones
Drones have emerged as a crucial component in the arsenal of modern militaries. Kreps and Lushenko (2023) argue that drones have not revolutionized warfare but have certainly evolved it. Drones offer a unique blend of precision, surveillance capabilities, and reduced risk to human life, making them an attractive option for military operations. While this author demonstrates that the effectiveness of drones is still undecided, the conflict in Ukraine has shown the power that drones hold on the war.
Drones have evolved into two main methods. One is long-range strike drones that deliver strikes at long distances with high accuracy, and examples are the Bayraktar TB2 (Ukrainian) or the Shahed 136 (Russian). The other is short-range first-person view (FPV) drones for quick, short-range strikes. The tiny, inexpensive FPV (first-person view) drone has proved to be one of the most potent weapons in this war (Zafra et al., 2024). Thompson states these FPV drones are developed off of “hobbyist” drones and are civilian products that can be repurposed for “special effect” (2024). They These two methods of drone strike have the same objective of destroying high-value targets with cheaper, quicker drones with large impact damage.
During the time since the war started in Ukraine, advancements to the capabilities of drones have increased. Evolutions such as AI implementation, long rage communication and quick deployment capabilities have revolutionized the war. These improvements have made the use of drones in war much more prevalent. As drone prevention methods have grown in effectiveness, the evolution of drones has led to the creation of automated intelligence drone systems that lock onto targets and stay locked onto them (Zafra et al., 2024). Evolutions such as this are only to become more common as drones become more of the war not only in the Russian-Ukraine War but in the world.
Societal and Ideological Perspectives
The use of drones in warfare also carries significant societal implications. Campbell (2022) discusses how ideological and religious perspectives shape society’s views on war. The introduction of drones into this complex matrix adds another layer of debate, particularly concerning the ethics of drone warfare and the value of human life in conflict. The author suggests that the advent of drone technology has significantly influenced the societal and ideological perspectives on war.
During the war in Ukraine, this ideology of ethics of drone warfare has come to the forefront of the conversation. Drones’ impact on people is being questioned, and a deeper look into their impacts needs to be evaluated. Kunertova states that drones do not have a clear aggressor or defender and that drones lower the reason needed to kill a person (2023). The impact of drones has also changed the societal impact of warfare on soldiers; this quote from Sommerville (2024) explains the soldiers operating the drones: “The operators are cool and dispassionate, almost clinical in their targeting and killing”
Drones also impact society in the harm they cause to civilians in war zones. A news article written by Faulconbridge (2024) states, “Russia itself has hit Ukraine with thousands of missiles and drones in the last two-and-a-half years, killing thousands of civilians, wrecking much of the country’s energy system and damaging commercial and residential properties across the country.” Though this statement is about damage in Ukraine, the damage goes both ways, with civilians being killed by drone strikes on both sides of the war.
connection to science, technology and society
Drones have been a new technology, but using them in the context of the Ukrainian-Russian war has not only connected them to science as to how far they can be launched to how much damage they can do to infrastructures; this has connected them to society in a war like fashion as war impacts everyone in society for the good or bad it kills injures and affects people livelihoods. These drones are part of this war, but they are also a part of another aspect of STS we see worldwide. The drone will keep evolving, and it will only have a larger effect on the people surrounding it in war.
Conclusion
Modern conflicts provide ample examples of how drone technology is being utilized. Hanchett (2023) discusses the use of drones in various global conflicts and how they have changed the dynamics of warfare. Similarly, Spencer (2023) highlights the challenges posed by using tunnels in urban warfare, suggesting that drones could potentially solve this problem. These examples illustrate the practical applications of drone technology in modern warfare and its potential to shape future conflicts.
In conclusion, the development of drone technology has undeniably altered the conduct of war in modern times. Blattman explains while the full extent of its impact is only starting to be understood in current conflicts such as Ukraine, it is clear that drones will continue to play a pivotal role in future conflicts (2022). As we continue to grapple with the ethical and societal implications of drone warfare, it is crucial to foster a nuanced understanding of this technology and its potential consequences.
References
Blattman, C. (2022, October 16). The five reasons wars happen. Modern War Institute. https://mwi.westpoint.edu/the-five-reasons-wars-happen/
Campbell, I. (2022). Rethinking War, Nature, and Supernature in Early Modern Scholasticism: Introduction. Journal of the History of Ideas, 83(4), 601–611. https://doi.org/10.1353/jhi.2022.0027
Faulconbridge, G., & Osborn, A. (2024, September 10). Ukraine targets Moscow in biggest drone attack yet | reuters. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-destroys-ukraine-launched-drone-flying-towards-moscow-mayor-says-2024-09-09/
Hanchett, J. (2023, March 15). Drones in modern war: Evolutionary or revolutionary?. Department of Government. https://government.cornell.edu/news/drones-modern-war-evolutionary-or-revolutionary
Kreps, S., & Lushenko, P. (2023). Drones in modern war: evolutionary, revolutionary, or both? Defense & Security Analysis, 39(2), 271–274. https://doi.org/10.1080/14751798.2023.2178599
Kunertova, D. (2023). Drones have boots: Learning from Russia’s war in Ukraine. Contemporary Security Policy, 44(4),576–591. https://doi-org.libproxy.clemson.edu/10.1080/13523260.2023.2262792
Manolache,I.(2023).The Role of Multi-Domain Operations in Modern Warfare. Land Forces Academy Review,28(3) 163-170. https://doi.org/10.2478/raft-2023-0020
Spencer, J. (2023, October 17). Underground nightmare: Hamas tunnels and the wicked problem facing the IDF. Modern War Institute. https://mwi.westpoint.edu/underground-nightmare-hamas-tunnels-and-the-wicked-problem-facing-the-idf/
Thompson, K. D. (2024, January 16). How the drone war in Ukraine is transforming conflict. Council on Foreign Relations.
https://www.cfr.org/article/how-drone-war-ukraine-transforming-conflict
Zafra, M., Hunder, M., Rao, A., & Kiyada, S. (2024, March 26). How drone combat in Ukraine is Changing Warfare. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/graphics/UKRAINE-CRISIS/DRONES/dwpkeyjwkpm/