What do we mean by drone warfare?
RAF Typhoons generated headlines around the world this year with their critical role in countering the unprecedented Iranian mass drone attack on Israel. The swing role pedigree of the jet was plain to see: switching mission sets from air policing and reconnaissance to blasting Iranian drones out of the sky. Albeit, this mission was on a larger scale, it echoed a previous task in Syria where Typhoons were re-roled from close air support to shoot down a drone posing a threat to friendly troops.
Drone warfare invariably captures the public imagination, its automation embodying one of the more chilling aspects of modern military technology. Yet the term 'drone' captures a huge spectrum of capabilities — from tiny systems equipped with miniature cameras, to highly automated missiles with limited human interaction. In seeking a definition, the lines are blurred.
The Iranian Shahed drones are comparatively cheap to make, requiring components that can escape sanction and can be produced and fired en-masse. Together with faster cruise missiles, they are all essentially airborne targets that can be destroyed with sufficient combat firepower.
What are the demands on the pilot?
In theory, the air interception process is something with which fighter pilots will be very familiar.
In practice, it can be more challenging. Drones can fly low, and have small radar cross-sections, making them difficult to acquire with radars.
Long-range radar controllers provide information about the air tracks to the pilots, who can then conduct an intercept, acquire them on their radars and helmet-mounted sighting systems and blast them out of the sky.
In practice, it can be more challenging. Drones can fly low, and have small radar cross-sections, making them difficult to acquire with radars.
What are the main challenges?
Fighters are limited in number, and mass drone attacks can provide problems of scale and saturation; notwithstanding issues of associated cost. It is expensive to use a high-performance missile to knock out a cheap drone. Should we develop a low-cost anti-drone option in the form of high explosive cannon rounds, cheaper multi-launch missile pods or directed energy weapons?
To financiers, the cost per kill is important. To add to the complexity, some high-tech systems also pose greater challenges: they fly too fast and high to counter with traditional air-to-air missiles. Flying into space and hurtling towards earth at supersonic speeds then, as now, is a threat that requires a seriously capable air defence system.