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If anything, the attack on the night of January 27, which killed three US Army reservists from the Georgia-based 718th Engineer Company and wounded more than 40 soldiers, all served as temporary living quarters at a forward base called Tower 22. Those doing it were sleeping in a tent. Located near the Jordan-Iraq-Syria border), proving the immense power of drones in modern wars, whether large or small and whether by state or non-state actors.
The attack was reportedly the work of a radical organization called “Kata’ib Hezbollah”, an Iran-backed militia group that the US has previously blamed for attacks in Iraq and Syria.
The fact that its “kamikaze drone” reached the target and penetrated air defenses and exploded is what military analysts consider a serious misstep. They disagree with the official justification that the low-flying kamikaze drone arrived at the same time as an American surveillance drone was expected to land and thus was not attacked by air defenses.
Ultimately, Tower 22 is believed to have been monitored by an AN/TPS-75 PESA-type phased array radar, commonly used by the US Air Force for flight control and early warning and reportedly It also had counter-drone protection.
It is said that both Stingers and C-RAM are counter against drones. The C-RAM can also shoot down incoming mortar rounds and artillery rockets, which are also common forms of attack.
Tower 22 also had some other counter-UAS systems such as a portable drone jammer or a Coyote interceptor drone. However, these were not used because the defense system could not distinguish between friendly surveillance and enemy kamikaze drones.
The failure to identify incoming drone-threats (identify-friend-or-foe error) has been exploited by US adversaries in the Middle East in recent months. Indeed, an hour and a half after the attack on Tower 22, an Iranian proxy launched another drone at another US base, Al-Tanf Garrison, across the border in Syria. However, this time, an American drone, RTX’s Coyote Uncrewed Aerial System, shot it down.
Reportedly, since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, 2023, around 165 attacks have been carried out on various US targets in Iraq and Syria by Iran-backed terrorist groups, collectively known as the ‘Axis of Resistance’. Is. These attacks may not have proved fatal, but the horrifying fact is that 170 American soldiers have been injured in this attack.
It is noteworthy that Iran is a leading manufacturer of several varieties of kamikaze drones, such as the Shaheed-136 and 131, which often use rocket boosters for launch. And Iran supplies them in good numbers to its regional proxies such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthi rebels in Yemen. These have also been shared with Russian forces in the war in Ukraine.
Obviously, there is now systematic pressure on the US military establishment to try and develop more effective anti-drone capabilities (and the same is true in other countries). However this task is challenging. Because, for these cheap drones, one cannot ideally employ extremely expensive countermeasures like using Patriot air defense missile batteries ($3-4 million per missile).
Secondly, the development of artificial intelligence (AI) is making drones more powerful with every passing day. AI is making data and sensor fusion analysis of drones significantly more effective, allowing complex algorithms and machine learning to build a better understanding of the environment around the drone.
It is said to be improving communication systems and cyber security of critical data received, interpreted, analyzed and transmitted by drones.
AI has facilitated what is called “swarm intelligence.” This allows drones to act in a coordinated and coherent manner in a “swarm”, enabling the military to launch a series of drones that can overwhelm the enemy and perform tactical and strategic military tasks , thus further increasing the personal utility of the drone.
AI is also enabling drones to become “autonomous.” Once a hypothetical concept, AI has made possible a new way of warfare using drones that are “killer robots”, which can be ground-based, air-based, or water-based. They are fully armed and are used to track enemy forces, observe behavior and gather vital information.
This explains why a recent survey shows that military drones are now dominating the global drone market with a dominant revenue share of 48.6% and rotary blade drones are leading the technology sector with a share of 62.4%. Security and law enforcement end-use industries are driving growth in the sector, accounting for a significant revenue share of 26.4%.
The global drone market was estimated to be valued at US$34.5 billion by the end of 2023 and is expected to see substantial growth, reaching US$101.1 billion by 2032. The market is set for a remarkable boom with an estimated compound annual growth rate (CAGR). ) 12.7% during the forecast period from 2023 to 2032.
Geopolitically speaking, the survey also shows that the Indo-Pacific region leads the market with a major revenue share of 39.6%. The region’s strong manufacturing capabilities have made it a major producer of drones meeting both domestic and global demands. Its diverse industries, from agriculture to construction, benefit from the versatile applications of drones.
File Image:Drone FPV
Additionally, “the favorable regulatory environment and government support in countries like China have encouraged drone innovation and adoption. Additionally, the region’s vast population presents a significant consumer market for consumer drones.
As the Asia Pacific region continues to invest in drone technology and applications, it solidifies its position as a leader in the global drone market.
“However, the North American region is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period. The survey estimates that substantial investment in research and development of cutting-edge drone technologies is expected to boost the growth of the North American region during the forecast period. This effectively means that the US will become the market leader.
Another survey by “Fact”. MR Research similarly states that the adoption of targeted drone technology is significantly driven by militaries engaging in extensive combat training and technology testing.
“Naval forces around the world are actively developing and deploying countermeasures technology, conducting training exercises that involve a variety of target products, including moving air targets. This increased acceptance is expected to contribute to the drone market targeted to achieve 64.2% market share within the military sector in 2023.
According to this survey, the major players in the market include Airtargets International LLC, China Military UAV, Denel Dynamics, Ambition, Airbus, Griffon Aerospace, Cadet Defense Systems, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc., L3Harris Technologies, Inc., Leonardo S.p.A., MSP included. , Northrop, Grumman, Qinetiq, Sistemas de Control Remoto, Target Arm Inc., and UAV Navigation SL.
Thus, the inevitable conclusion is that while consumer and commercial drones have ample applications, the vital role of military drones in protecting national interests and security elevates them to the forefront.
Military drones are proving indispensable for reconnaissance, surveillance and tactical operations, providing strategic advantages in modern warfare. Their versatility, range and advanced capabilities have made them vital assets for defense forces everywhere.
- Author and veteran journalist Prakash Nanda is the Chairman of the Editorial Board – Eurasian Times and has commented on politics, foreign policy and strategic affairs for nearly three decades. A former National Fellow of the Indian Council of Historical Research and a recipient of the Seoul Peace Prize Scholarship, he is also a Distinguished Fellow at the Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies.
- Contact: prakash.nanda(at)hotmail.com
- Follow Eurasian Times on Google News
Source: www.eurasiantimes.com
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