Author Topic: Military Drones Changing the Game  (Read 18573 times)

Brad

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Military Drones Changing the Game
« on: May 08, 2022, 11:58:05 AM »
Just an observation on how drones will change the game of military spending.

Most countries try to maintain both an army and air force of some sort.  But for small countries drones are going to replace expensive aircraft in both the close air support and recon roles for low to medium intensity fighting.  This is a technology that is fast becoming cheaper and more deadly.  The proof is in Ukraine.

You don't need as many big expensive air fields.  Training pilots is expensive.  Buying and maintaining aircraft is expensive.  Support personnel cost.  Smaller nations, even developed nations like Denmark, Belgium, Norway can only afford to buy a handful of new multi role fighter bombers at a time.  F-35's are almost unreachable in price.  For even smaller nations that cannot afford air forces like the Baltics, drones can give them an air to ground attack capability they didn't have 5 years ago.  It puts them in the game at least in a small way.

On the plus side every infantry unit can carry a cheap drone for scouting.

Drones are not yet replacing fighter aircraft in the air to air role although that may happen someday.  But for tactical air to ground they are rapidly making whole classes of attack aircraft obsolete (A-10's, attack helicopters etc.) for everything but the highest intensity warfare.  And even there you can do a lot of damage with a lot of attack drones on your side.

ergophobe

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Re: Military Drones Changing the Game
« Reply #1 on: May 08, 2022, 03:23:21 PM »
I've been seeing articles and interviews with (mostly retired) generals arguing much the same, though also much broader - drones and other tech. I can try to dig some out of my feeds if you want.

Brad

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Re: Military Drones Changing the Game
« Reply #2 on: May 09, 2022, 08:58:05 PM »
>articles

I've probably read some of those EG.  Some talk about really expensive systems like drones that fly along with future jet fighters and are under the manned plane's control.  But the action is going to be on the low end.


ergophobe

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Re: Military Drones Changing the Game
« Reply #3 on: May 10, 2022, 01:07:08 AM »
I'm thinking of ones talking more about things like asymmetric warfare, consumer-grade drones, cyber warfare, etc

rcjordan

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Re: Military Drones Changing the Game
« Reply #4 on: July 17, 2022, 12:40:34 PM »
Lockheed working on expendable, advanced drones to team up with US Air Force fighters

https://www.defensenews.com/unmanned/2022/07/17/lockheed-working-on-expendable-advanced-drones-to-team-up-with-us-air-force-fighters/

Debbie: Just a few steps away from replacing fighter pilots entirely.

Travoli

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Re: Military Drones Changing the Game
« Reply #5 on: July 17, 2022, 05:41:45 PM »
>team up with

I'm with Debbie. They're just being polite, for now.

rcjordan

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Re: Military Drones Changing the Game
« Reply #6 on: July 18, 2022, 01:36:36 PM »
Every branch of the U.S. military is struggling to meet its 2022 recruiting goals, officials say
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/military/every-branch-us-military-struggling-meet-2022-recruiting-goals-officia-rcna35078

ergophobe

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Re: Military Drones Changing the Game
« Reply #7 on: July 18, 2022, 09:22:42 PM »
ADHA diagnosis alone knocks out roughly 10% of kids. Obesity knocks out another 20%.

 - https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html
 - https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/adhd-history

When I lived in Switzerland, they were in the process of re-evaluating the universal military service requirement. They decided to keep it, but divided recruits into Soldier A and Soldier B. The PR for this was hilarious. Soldier A was hard, lean, looked ready to join Seal Team 6 and was shown in what looked like a combat situation. Soldier B was kitted out in shorts, a bit pudgy and shown at the beach handing out pamphlets about AIDS.


rcjordan

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Re: Military Drones Changing the Game
« Reply #8 on: August 04, 2022, 03:14:22 PM »
That's a big drone you got there...

US Navy robotic minesweeper ship declared operational
https://newatlas.com/military/us-navy-robotic-minesweeper-ship-declared-operational/

rcjordan

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Re: Military Drones Changing the Game
« Reply #9 on: September 02, 2023, 05:29:47 PM »
Why Ukraine Can Embarrass Russia's Air Defense Systems With Small Drones

https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-ukraine-war-advanced-air-defenses-failed-drone-strikes-2023-9

In a spectacular attack, Ukrainian drones bombarded an airport in the city of Pskov in north-west Russia, blasting four  Ilyushin Il-76 military transport planes, according to state media outlet TASS.


- Recent drone attacks in Russia have exposed weaknesses in the country's advanced air defenses.
   
- Most of these were built to identify and destroy targets like missiles, a drone expert said.

- As a result, smaller drones have been able to evade detection and strike targets on Russian soil.

Years ago, we had a post about robotic swarm attacks.  Toss in some autonomous AI and it is here.

rcjordan

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Re: Military Drones Changing the Game
« Reply #10 on: September 04, 2023, 09:15:10 PM »
The US and Chinese air forces are rethinking whether it's possible to control the air

https://www.businessinsider.com/us-china-air-force-rethink-achieving-air-superiority-in-war-2023-9

creative666

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Re: Military Drones Changing the Game
« Reply #11 on: September 05, 2023, 03:13:24 PM »
Considering what I can do with my Avata Pro FPV drone the prospect of attaching a small exsplosive device to it is pretty scarey!

I can fly 10ft off the ground at 60MPH and more sensitive and maneuverable than any other drone I've seen

littleman

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Re: Military Drones Changing the Game
« Reply #12 on: September 05, 2023, 04:29:52 PM »
The story of David vs Goliath is really a tail of innovation and technology.  This situation with Russia and Ukraine reminds me somewhat of the Great War where we had 19th century thinking giving way to 20th century technology.  Now there's Russia largely using doctrine and technology from the 20th century facing a very scrappy and innovative Ukraine pushing every angle it could in this asymmetrical war.  I'm pretty sure we're going to see all kinds of anti drone technology developed over the next five to ten years.  Probably one of the first will be drone killing drones.

rcjordan

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Re: Military Drones Changing the Game
« Reply #13 on: September 10, 2023, 11:35:47 AM »
-Debbie: Most of the surface Navies are dead men walking-

Faced with evolving threats, U.S. Navy struggles to change

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-nation/2023/09/10/navy-mississippi-gulf-coast-ships-bahrain/stories/202309100021


rcjordan

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Re: Military Drones Changing the Game
« Reply #14 on: February 01, 2024, 01:41:42 PM »
> surface Navies are dead men walking

https://old.reddit.com/r/UkraineWarVideoReport/comments/1ag8hct/ukrainian_drones_sank_a_molniya_class_missile/

Ukrainian drones sank a Molniya class missile boat last night : UkraineWarVideoReport