"The Drone Revolution That Isn't" Topic

"Today, before a tank explodes, before a trench is overrun, and before an artillery battery is silenced, someone is usually recording.

The defining images of modern war no longer come from embedded journalists or military photographers. They are being delivered by drones. First-person-view drones racing through shattered buildings, quadcopters dropping grenades into open hatches, and loitering munitions destroying radar systems have become the defining image of twenty-first-century battlefield. These videos dominate social media, shape public perceptions, and increasingly influence political debates about defense planning and spending. The conclusion seems to be drones have changed warfare forever. Yet, this conclusion is only half correct.

Drones have indeed become indispensable military tools. They have democratized access to aerial reconnaissance, improved tactical precision, and lowered the cost of surveillance and strike missions. But the public discourse has drifted from acknowledging their importance to declaring them revolutionary. In doing so, it risks repeating a familiar mistake. Throughout history, many generations have believed they had discovered the technology that would fundamentally rewrite the rules of war. Gunpowder, machine guns, tanks, strategic bombers, precision-guided munitions, and cyber capabilities were each hyped as revolutionary innovations that would render previous forms of military power obsolete. None of them did. Instead, they became valuable components of broader military ecosystems…"

link

Armand

Social media has fundamentally changed how wars are consumed by observers.

War is just more video content, in effect the new reality tv. It makes me think of Debord's La société du spectacle and other works.

I think that the author's central point is spot on:

War is won through the interaction of the adversaries' military forces with logistics, industrial production, political will, economic resilience, leadership, and alliances. While drones can indeed influence many of these factors, they cannot replace them.

"We have learned to throw rocks. No one will ever be able to defeat us." Attributed to a male relative of Lucy, ca. 2,000,000 BCE.

Gunpowder, machine guns, tanks, strategic bombers, precision-guided munitions, and cyber capabilities were each hyped as revolutionary innovations that would render previous forms of military power obsolete. None of them did.

Really? Haven't seen many phalanxes on the modern battlefield…

The phalanx is just a formation that allows the most effective use of available weapons and troops. The principles of military affairs have not changed for thousands of years…
War is an art. It's like the work of an artist – it doesn't matter what technique you use, what material, what style… It's important that the principles have remained unchanged since the times of cave paintings.

"Really? Haven't seen many phalanxes on the modern battlefield…"

I have.

link

Ha!…

Armand

Not many cavalry brigades out their on horses these days, of horse drawn artillery, or crossbows, or bronze swords, or….

…of course technology changes warfare.

Highly successful drone strikes on Russian tankerrs and cargo ships in the Sea of Azov…

YouTube link

Bill +1

From my standpoint as a former tactical Leader and Commander. I can see how much the massive use of effective drones is as impactful as the aircraft and tanks were to the WWI battle and beyond.

As I have said as tech advances so does tactics and training. As we see with aircraft and tanks how tech evolved to create AA and AT weapons along with new tactics. For the newer tech that evolved for the battlefield.

War is won through the interaction of the adversaries' military forces with logistics, industrial production, political will, economic resilience, leadership, and alliances. While drones can indeed influence many of these factors, they cannot replace them.

Yes, at this point or if ever. Those factors will generally remain the same. Regardless of the weapons and tactics employed.

As tech evolves lethality increases … But that still has not stopped the human race from going to war. E.g. Nuclear Weapons … that certainly was a game changer. However, humans are still killing each other regardless …

Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA): The Future of Human-Machine Teaming in Air Combat.

link

link

Armand

Again … seems sci-fi is rapidly becoming sci-fact …

Well… the Klingons are here for a while… (smile)

Armand

Kapla'

Aerostar High-Altitude Balloons Being Turned Into Drone Motherships

link

Armand

Good idea … like aircraft carriers in the sky.

Why drone dominance will be won by networks, not numbers

link

Armand