BLUF
Drones continue dominating news reports, but they aren’t used in large numbers or swarms. Technology has to improve for them to be really effective. Regarding technology, drones are more like WW1 biplanes than war-winning WW2 aircraft.Summary
This article by Seth J. Frantzman, writing for the Jerusalem Post, makes the following points:
- Russia uses Iranian-made drones to carry out kamikaze attacks.
- Ukraine uses Western-made drones, locally-made drones, and Turkish Bayraktars.
- The Bayraktars are relatively slow and vulnerable to air defences.
- Bayraktars, like the US Predator, work best in uncontested airspace.
References
Recent Runway Posts related to this topic:
- Drones 01: COLLECTION | The Runway (airforce.gov.au)
- RUSSIAN-UKRAINE CONFLICT—ARTICLES | The Runway (airforce.gov.au)
References from the Web:
- APR 2023 ‘Eyes and ears’: Could drones prove decisive in the Ukraine war?-AL Jazeera.
- MAY 2023 Russia launches swarm of kamikaze drones in Ukraine amid 'security concerns' ahead of annual Victory Day-ABC News.
