The Versatile Player in the Smart Battlefield: Drones
Wei Yuejiang
The development of technology inevitably brings innovation in weaponry, driving qualitative changes in the nature of warfare. Currently, the widespread application of AI (Artificial Intelligence) in weapon development is pushing modern warfare from localized conflicts under information conditions towards intelligent and digital localized warfare. The technical performance of unmanned systems is continuously improving, and innovative operational methods are being realized in actual combat. Unmanned weapons are gradually evolving from human control to autonomous offense and defense, from the front lines to strategic depth, and from overseas battlefields to domestic strategic targets. Drones can not only attack tanks, other drones, unmanned boats, and bombers but also target unmanned boats, helicopters, and naval fleets, becoming the most commonly used and widely applied means of combat in intelligent warfare, with unique all-around functional capabilities.
1. Drones Can Conduct Long-Range Strikes and Deeply Penetrate Enemy Territory for Surprise Attacks on Military Bases and Key Targets
The attack by drones on enemy military bases aims to destroy various types of aircraft, missile launch bases, and other important military facilities and equipment stored there, thereby reducing the enemy’s strike capability. Attacks on energy infrastructure can cut off the enemy’s electricity and transportation supplies, hindering the normal conduct of military operations and causing social instability.
Due to their small size, low cost, and simple and quick assembly, drones can conduct deep battlefield attacks against rear enemy targets and can also carry out long-range strikes against strategic targets within enemy territory. They can be secretly transported into enemy territory through various deceptive means, seizing favorable opportunities to activate hidden operatives or recruit illegal elements within the enemy country, or remotely control the drone via satellite to launch surprise attacks on critical military targets, eliminating enemy aircraft and missiles before they can take off.
On June 1, 2025, Ukraine launched a special operation codenamed “Web” aimed at conducting drone strikes on multiple Russian air bases to destroy Russian strategic bombers. Ukrainian authorities claimed they used a total of 117 small, short-range first-person view (FPV) drones to attack Russian bases including Olenya, Ivanovo-Shevchenko, Gagilevo Airport, and Belaya Airport, destroying or damaging 41 aircraft. The “Web” operation pioneered a new method of warfare, attracting widespread global attention. Implementing such special operations requires careful planning, thorough preparation, and meticulous deployment. Prior to the operation, drones can be secretly delivered into enemy territory through clandestine channels or smuggling routes, hidden in wooden compartments within shipping containers on trucks, remaining silent during standby. When enemy aircraft appear, pre-arranged ride-sharing services can be used to transport the drones hidden in the containers onto designated trucks. As the ride-sharing truck slows down near the target area, satellite commands can activate the pre-installed drone swarm, allowing them to take off and strike predetermined targets. After the hired truck reaches the designated location, the cargo can be unloaded and hidden in a concealed area, waiting for enemy aircraft to arrive, at which point operatives or recruited personnel within enemy territory can assemble the drones for close-range remote attacks. This method carries significant risks, as operators may not return, necessitating pre-arranged escape routes. Of course, it is also possible that they are mentally prepared to face death.
Ukraine’s deep penetration into Russian territory, utilizing small drones to attack Russian strategic bomber bases through spies or recruited personnel, has pioneered a new method of warfare, indicating that the threat of drones is no longer limited by geographical boundaries. Consequently, some countries have begun to disperse and relocate strategically significant bombers to sparsely populated areas with inconvenient transportation, far from enemy air bases, to avoid drone attacks. Some nations are also researching new protective systems for important military bases.
2. Drones Can Actively Strike Various Ground Targets and Conduct Kamikaze Attacks, Turning Tanks into “Turtles” and “Birdcages”
Drones typically use electric propulsion, producing almost no noise during takeoff, with negligible dust and smoke, greatly reducing the chances of detection. This allows drones to approach attack targets within the enemy’s blind spots. Attacking tanks with drones has become a common sight on the battlefield of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Drone operators use covert methods to make it difficult for tank operators to detect the attack in advance, achieving significant surprise attack effects. As long as the drone has enough remaining battery power to operate and has not left the remote control range, the drone operator can maneuver it to approach the target, exploiting weaknesses or blind spots in the enemy’s defenses to strike vulnerable areas of the tank.
After experiencing the ravages of war, kamikaze drones (loitering munitions) have longer ranges, greater power, and stronger resistance to electromagnetic interference, further increasing the threat to tanks. In actual combat, the emergence of kamikaze drones poses new survival challenges for traditional armored vehicles, especially tanks. A widely circulated video on the internet shows that even the American M1A1 Abrams tank, the German Leopard 2 tank, and the British Challenger 2 main battle tank are not immune to drone attacks. As a result, main battle tanks have had to adapt on the battlefield, transforming into “turtle” tanks and “birdcage” tanks, installing specialized anti-drone nets, and adding protective devices resembling “turtle shells” and “birdcages” to reduce the likelihood of being destroyed by kamikaze drones.
3. Drones Can Conduct “Decapitation” Strikes Against the Enemy and Precisely Eliminate Key Targets
The 9/11 attacks in 2001 shifted the United States’ strategic focus to counter-terrorism operations for 20 years, during which drones became a key tool for conducting targeted elimination operations. In the first decade, the U.S. targeted the Taliban and killed Osama bin Laden; in the second decade, it targeted al-Qaeda and extremist groups such as ISIS. Over the past decade, drones have become essential for conducting targeted elimination operations and counter-terrorism. The Obama administration claimed that the frequency of drone strikes against terrorists in Pakistan’s tribal areas increased tenfold. From 2009 to December 31, 2015, the U.S. conducted 473 airstrikes, the majority of which were drone attacks, killing between 2,372 and 2,581 members of terrorist organizations.
On January 3, 2020, the U.S. launched a drone strike that assassinated Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani, provoking strong retaliation from Iran and radical forces in the Middle East. Since then, drone attacks targeting U.S. military facilities in Iraq and Syria have been frequent and ongoing. Simultaneously, drones have become a normalized weapon for the U.S. military and the Israel Defense Forces to conduct assassinations and targeted eliminations of key targets. The U.S. employs precision strike tactics, frequently using drones to secretly conduct operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, carrying out thousands of drone “decapitation” strikes against various levels of al-Qaeda leaders.
4. Drones Can Hunt Unmanned Boats and Strike Manned and Unmanned Aircraft
To defend against enemy kamikaze boats attempting to attack bridges, many countries deploy drones for maritime surveillance. When enemy unmanned boats are detected, drones dive towards the target or launch missiles to destroy the incoming unmanned boats.
In the future, drones may carry several air-to-air missiles to strike enemy aircraft and drones. In October 2021, the U.S. successfully captured a small drone mid-flight using a recovery arm from a transport aircraft. Footage showed the drone docking with the recovery arm extending from the transport aircraft, retracting its wings, and being transported into the cargo hold. This indicates that one day bombers, transport aircraft, or fighter jets will become platforms for drones.
Drones can carry air-to-air missiles, launched from large drones or manned aircraft, penetrating enemy airspace to engage aerial targets through human-machine interaction, initiating attacks as the first wave, and serving as loyal wingmen for bombers, transport aircraft, early warning aircraft, and aerial refueling aircraft. If drones are equipped with gallium nitride transistors and microwave-emitting pods, they can quickly shoot down sudden swarms of drones. On December 18, 2021, a military conducted a drone air combat test, where a drone carrying a 4-kilometer range air-to-air missile shot down a drone helicopter, demonstrating the drone’s formidable practical technology and combat capabilities. Thus, drone-on-drone combat is set to become a new tactic in future aerial warfare. Additionally, drones can conduct electronic interference and specifically search for enemy air defense systems. It is foreseeable that an armed attack-capable unmanned helicopter will emerge in the near future.
Currently, many countries are actively conducting research on counter-drone operations, including detection and tracking early warning systems, direct firepower for hard kills, and interference technologies for soft kills, focusing on developing armed unmanned helicopters for counter-drone missions. As early as 1993, some countries designed a new type of Ka remote-controlled helicopter. This helicopter has a takeoff weight of 250 kilograms, with infrared reconnaissance equipment weighing over 30 kilograms (and a related data transmission system weighing over 50 kilograms). The control equipment is located at the front of the fuselage, while the engine is mounted in the middle. This modified military remote-controlled helicopter can be equipped with television, nuclear and biochemical detectors, laser target designators, and more.
Since the outbreak of conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2020, many countries have accelerated the development of armed unmanned helicopters to assist air defense systems in counter-drone tasks. In recent years, the U.S. military has successfully conducted flight tests of the new MQ-8B unmanned helicopter, which can not only detect targets but also use onboard weapons to attack drones. Its weapon systems include unguided rockets, machine guns, and various types of missiles, with a maximum combat load of 260 kilograms, suitable for reconnaissance, target designation, communication, and precision strikes against specific targets.
5. Surface Unmanned Boats Can Conduct Surprise Attacks on Fleets and Bridges, and Strike Armed Helicopters
Unmanned boats are characterized by their small size and difficulty in detection (especially at night), making them suitable for infiltrating enemy territory without crew and at a low cost, resulting in relatively low loss costs. For example, a Magura V5 unmanned boat is valued at approximately 250,000 euros, and even with missile launch systems and two missiles, the estimated cost of the entire system is only around 1 million euros. Therefore, unmanned boats are the preferred weapon for maritime surprise attacks, bombing enemy fleets, and destroying important bridges, and they have demonstrated significant effectiveness in recent localized conflicts.
To counter kamikaze unmanned boat attacks, which are primarily controlled by satellite guidance, remote control, or mine attacks, the defending side not only uses surface vessels for interception but also increasingly employs aircraft and helicopters for early interception. To address such situations, unmanned boats have integrated air defense missiles and installed air-to-air missiles, forming mixed formations with kamikaze unmanned boats to enhance their combat capabilities against enemy aircraft.
Recently, a widely circulated video on social media showed an unmanned boat shooting down an armed helicopter, marking the first time in history that a helicopter was shot down by an unmanned boat using a missile. According to the released video, several unmanned boats were sailing at sea, while at least two helicopters attempted to intercept the incoming unmanned boats. Water splashes erupted from the helicopter’s gunfire near the unmanned boats. One unmanned boat launched a missile at a helicopter, creating a massive splash, and the helicopter was suspected to have been hit and crashed into the sea. At least one helicopter released infrared flares to evade missile tracking. The unmanned boat involved in this operation was 5.5 meters long, with a maximum speed of 42 knots, a range of 833 kilometers, and an effective payload of 320 kilograms, capable of carrying mesh radio or satellite communication relays to ensure reliable and continuous communication with the command center. This unmanned boat was initially designed for kamikaze operations and has since executed multiple attack missions, showcasing its diverse combat capabilities.
(Author: Wei Yuejiang, Military Commentator.)
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