Turkey’s military drone program has ballooned in the past few years, especially its fleet of Bayraktar drones. Credit: Bayhaluk (cropped). (Creative Commons)

The war in Ukraine shows the game-changing effects of drones depends on the game

By Dominika Kunertova, March 13, 2023

https://thebulletin.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Drone-150x150.png
https://thebulletin.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Drone-150x150.png

Turkey’s military drone program has ballooned in the past few years, especially its fleet of Bayraktar drones. Credit: Bayhaluk (cropped). (Creative Commons)

Loading...
References

Albright, D., S. Burkhard, and S. Faragasso. 2022. “Iranian Drones in Ukraine Contain Western Brand Components.” Institute for Science and International Security, October 31. https://isis-online.org/uploads/isis-reports/documents/Iranian_Drones_Contain_Western_Brand_Components_October31_FINAL.pdf

Allison, D. M., and S. Herzog. 2019. “5 Reasons Why the Saudi Oil Attacks Won’t Lead to War with Iran.” The National Interest, September 19. https://nationalinterest.org/feature/5-reasons-why-saudi-oil-attacks-won%E2%80%99t-lead-war-iran-82096

Altman, H., S. Payne, and T. Rogoway. 2022. “Ukraine Unleashes Mass Kamikaze Drone Boat Attack on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet Headquarters.” The Drive, October 29. https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/ukraine-unleashes-mass-kamikaze-drone-boat-attack-on-russias-black-sea-fleet-headquarters

Bendett, S. 2022. “Where Are Russia’s Drones?” Defense One, March 1. https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2022/03/where-are-russias-drones/362612/

Bollfrass, A. K., and S. Herzog. 2022. “The War in Ukraine and Global Nuclear Order.” Survival 64 (4): 7–32. doi: 10.1080/00396338.2022.2103255

Bremer, M. K., and K. A. Grieco. 2021. “The Air Littoral: Another Look.” Parameters 51 (4): 67–80. doi: 10.55540/0031-1723.3092.

Bronk, J., N. Reynolds, and J. Watling. 2022. “The Russian Air War and Ukrainian Requirements for Air Defense.” Royal United Services Institute, November 7. https://rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/special-resources/russian-air-war-and-ukrainian-requirements-air-defense

Calcara, A., A. Gilli, M. Gilli, R. Marchetti, and I. Zaccagnini. 2022. “Why Drones Have Not Revolutionized War: The Enduring Hider-Finder Competition in Air Warfare.” International Security 46 (4): 130–171. doi: 10.1162/isec_a_00431.

Cole, C. 2022. “Armed Drones Proliferation Update.” Drone Wars, May 9. https://dronewars.net/2022/05/09/armed-drones-proliferation-update-may-2022/

Dass, R. 2022. “Militants and Drones: A Trend That is Here to Stay.” Royal United Services Institute, September 6. https://rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/militants-and-drones-trend-here-stay

Deveraux, B. 2022. “Loitering Munitions in Ukraine And Beyond.” War on the Rocks, April 22. https://warontherocks.com/2022/04/loitering-munitions-in-ukraine-and-beyond/

Euronews. 2022. “Romania probes drone found on its territory days after crash in Croatia.” March 14. https://www.euronews.com/2022/03/14/romania-probes-drone-sighting-days-after-crash-in-croatia

The Economist. 2022. “Russia’s Terror Strikes Fail to Do Much damage to Ukraine.” October 13. https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/10/13/russias-terror-strikes-fail-to-do-much-damage-to-ukraine

Feldstein, S. 2022. “The Larger Geopolitical Shift Behind Iran’s Drone Sales to Russia.” Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, October 26. https://carnegieendowment.org/2022/10/26/larger-geopolitical-shift-behind-iran-s-drone-sales-to-russia-pub-88268

Gettinger, D. 2022. “Phoenix Ghosts are Part Drones, Part Missiles. How Does that Change Combat?” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, June 1. https://thebulletin.org/2022/06/phoenix-ghosts-are-part-drones-part-missiles-how-does-that-change-combat/

Gilli, A., and M. Gilli. 2016. “The Diffusion of Drone Warfare? Industrial, Organizational, and Infrastructural Constraints.” Security Studies 25 (1): 50–84. doi: 10.1080/09636412.2016.1134189.

Hall, R. C. 2014. “Reconnaissance Drones: Their First Use in the Cold War.” Air Power History 61 (3), 20–27. http://www.jstor.org/stable/26276490

Helfrich, E. 2022. “Rotax Engine Found in Iranian Mohajer-6 Drone Downed Over Ukraine.” The Drive, October 24. https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/rotax-engine-found-in-iranian-mohajer-6-drone-downed-over-ukraine

Hird, K., K. Lawlor, G. Mappes, G. Barros, and M. Clark. 2022. “Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 18.” Institute for the Study of War. https://www.understandingwar.org/sites/default/files/Russian%20Offensive%20Campaign%20Assessment%2C%20October%2018.pdf

Jennings, G. 2022. “Germany to Arm UAVs.” Janes, April 7. https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/germany-to-arm-uavs

Kallenborn, Z. 2021. “Swarm Talk: Understanding Drone Typology.” Modern War Institute, West Point, October 12. https://mwi.usma.edu/swarm-talk-understanding-drone-typology/

Kimball, D. G. 2020. “U.S. Reinterprets MTCR Rules.” Arms Control Today 50 (7): 32–33.

Kofman, M. 2020. “A Look at the Military Lessons of the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict.” Russia Matters, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School, December 14. https://www.russiamatters.org/analysis/look-military-lessons-nagorno-karabakh-conflict

Kunertova, D. 2021. “European Drone Clubs Stall Strategic Autonomy.” Center for Security Studies, Policy Perspective 9 (5). doi: 10.3929/ethz-b-000477050.

Kunertova, D. 2022. “Ukraine War: Iranian ‘Kamikaze’ Drones Can Inflict Serious Damage But Will Not be a Gamechanger.” The Conversation, October 19. https://theconversation.com/ukraine-war-iranian-kamikaze-drones-can-inflict-serious-damage-but-will-not-be-a-gamechanger-192754?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=linkedinbutton

Kunertova, D., N. Masuhr, and C. Despont. 2022. “Militärische Drohnennutzung: Erfahrungen, Technologie und Schweizer Optionen” [Military Drone Use: Experiences, Technology and Swiss Options] in: Thränert, Oliver; Merz, Fabien; Kamasa, Julian (eds.), Bulletin 2022 zur schweizerischen Sicherheitspolitik [Bulletin 2022 on Swiss Security Policy], Center for Security Studies, ETH Zürich: 31–61. https://css.ethz.ch/content/dam/ethz/special-interest/gess/cis/center-for-securities-studies/pdfs/Bulletin_2022_05.pdf

NATO. 2022. “NATO Steps Up Support for Ukraine, Strengthens Deterrence and Defense.” October 13. https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_208101.htm

NATO. 2017. “STANAG 4671 – Unmanned Aircraft Systems Airworthiness Requirements, Annex A.” February.

Page, J. M. 2022. “Drones in Ukraine: Claims, Concerns and Implications.” Royal United Services Institute, June 10. https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/rusi-newsbrief/drones-ukraine-claims-concerns-and-implications

Rogers, J., and D. Kunertova. 2022. “The Vulnerabilities of the Drone Age Established Threats and Emerging Issues out to 2035.” NATO, Science for Peace and Security. https://css.ethz.ch/content/dam/ethz/special-interest/gess/cis/center-for-securities-studies/pdfs/NATO_VDA_Policy_Report.pdf

Rogers, J. 2021. “Future Threats: Military UAS, Terrorist Drones, and the Dangers of the Second Drone Age.” In A Comprehensive Approach to Countering Unmanned Aircraft Systems, edited by M. Willis, A. Haider, D. C. Teletin, and D. Wagner, 481–505. Kalkar, Germany: NATO Joint Air Power Competence Centre. https://www.japcc.org/wp-content/uploads/A-Comprehensive-Approach-to-Countering-Unmanned-Aircraft-Systems.pdf

Rogoway, T. 2022. “Ukraine Situation Report: Shadowy Long-Range Kamikaze Drone Strikes Again.” The Drive, August 20. https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/ukraine-situation-report-shadowy-long-range-kamakaze-drone-strikes-again

Said, S., J. Malsin, and J. Donati. 2019. “U.S. Blames Iran for Attack on Saudi Oil Facilities.” Wall Street Journal, September 14. https://www.wsj.com/articles/drone-strikes-spark-fires-at-saudi-oil-facilities-11568443375

Scharre, P. 2014. “Robotics on the Battlefield Part II: The Coming Swarm.” Center for a New American Security, October 15. https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/files.cnas.org/documents/CNAS_TheComingSwarm_Scharre.pdf?mtime=20160906082059&focal=none

Shaikh, S., and W. Rumbaugh. 2020. “The Air and Missile War in Nagorno-Karabakh: Lessons for the Future of Strike and Defense.” Center for Strategic and International Studies, December 8. https://www.csis.org/analysis/air-and-missile-war-nagorno-karabakh-lessons-future-strike-and-defense

Seligman, L. 2022. “‘Huge problem’: Iranian drones pose new threat to Ukraine.” Politico, September 26. https://www.politico.com/news/2022/09/26/iranian-drones-ukraine-russia-war-00058802

Trofimov, Y., and D. Nissenbaum. 2022. “Russia’s Use of Iranian Kamikaze Drones Creates New Dangers for Ukrainian Troops.” Wall Street Journal, September 17. https://www.wsj.com/articles/russias-use-of-iranian-kamikaze-drones-creates-new-dangers-for-ukrainian-troops-11663415140

Watling, J., and N. Reynolds. 2022. “Ukraine at War Paving the Road from Survival to Victory.” Royal United Services Institute, Special Report, July 4. https://static.rusi.org/special-report-202207-ukraine-final-web_0.pdf

Willett, Marcus. 2022. “The Cyber Dimension of the Russia–Ukraine War.” Survival 64 (5): 7–26. Doi: 10.1080/00396338.2022.2126193.

Zanotti, J., and C. Thomas. 2022. “Turkey: Background and U.S. Relations In Brief.” Congressional Research Service, CRS Report for Congress, R44000, August 5. https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R44000

Together, we make the world safer.

The Bulletin elevates expert voices above the noise. But as an independent nonprofit organization, our operations depend on the support of readers like you. Help us continue to deliver quality journalism that holds leaders accountable. Your support of our work at any level is important. In return, we promise our coverage will be understandable, influential, vigilant, solution-oriented, and fair-minded. Together we can make a difference.


Get alerts about this thread
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments