“For the first time since the Korean War, we are operating without complete air superiority.”
The US is sounding the alarm on Iran’s drones, again. Years after the Abqaiq attack the head of US Central Command is warning about drones. Marine Corps General Kenneth McKenzie, the commander of CENTCOM, has repeatedly warned about the threat drones pose. An Iranian drone overflew a US carrier and Iran posted photos of it.…
Iran has masses of small drones, but do they work?
Iran showcased masses of small drones during an event on April 25. The event got some attention on social media among drone experts and those who follow technology. But do they work? Iran has rapidly increased its drone arm in recent years, building on the legacy of Mohajer and Ababil and Shahed lines of drones.…
Francis Fukuyama: ” drones become central battlefield weapons”
In a new piece at American Purpose Francis Fukuyama looks at the importance of drones in future combat. He takes as an example Turkey’s use of drones. This comes after the recent war in Azerbaijan where Baku used drones effectively against Armenian forces. He focuses on Turkey’s development of drones, primarily the Bayraktar. He notes…
US forecasts masses of drones in war game focused on China and Taiwan
The US carried out a war game that sought to see how future technologies could help prevent an invasion of Taiwan. It comes amid tensions between the US and China and also between the US and Russia. The US sees these countries as near-peer adversaries. “The U.S. Air Force repelled a Chinese invasion of Taiwan…
Seth Frantzman speaks to Rudaw’s Majeed Gly about ‘Drone wars’
In an interview with the Kurdish media Rudaw, Seth J. Frantzman spoke about his upcoming book Drone Wars and recent developments in how drones are transforming wars. They discussed how drones can aid countries that need to create a kind of air force on the cheap as well as how countries such as China or…
Podcast: Seth Frantzman speaks to Erielle Davidson, senior policy analyst at JINSA
“Seth Frantzman, Senior Middle East Correspondent and Middle East affairs analyst at The Jerusalem Post, joins host Erielle Davidson, Senior Policy Analyst at JINSA, to discuss the latest escalations by the Iranian regime—including a series of recent proxy attacks against U.S. bases in Iraq—and how such attacks might impact the Biden Administration’s ongoing nuclear negotiations…
Seth Frantzman speaks to Congressional Quarterly Researcher
Author of Drone Wars, Seth J. Frantzman spoke to Sara Toth Stub about drones and targeted killings. “It’s a rapidly expanding type of weapon,” says Seth Frantzman, an Israeli-based journalist and the author of the forthcoming book Drone Wars. “While just a handful of countries admit to having them, many others want to get them. It’s a…
Drone News March 2021 updates
Drones continue to be in the news as loitering munition and other drone sales increase and as new technologies are pioneered around the world. A look at Chinese Combat Drone BZK-005C. March 1: Houthis use 15 UAVs, 9 of which were Samad-3 in attacks on Saudi Arabia. US drone manufacturers benefit as US targets DJI.…
Drone news January-February 2021
Israeli defense companies are preparing for IDEX in Abu Dhabi, where some will demonstrate UAVs and counter-UAS solutions. Aeronautics, which is part owned by Rafael, will bring its Orbiter 4. IMCO will also demonstrate UAV technology and IAI has recently announced a new WASP surveillance system for UAVs. See more details. UVision will also be…
Drone news updates December 2020
The fall of 2020 has been a time of increasing drone news. In the wake of the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict it became clear how drones can transform a war as a strategic and tactical weapon. Offering a kind of “instant air force,” they are an important investment for militaries. The question militaries must ask is what…
Drone news Nov 3-14: More drone swarms, Azerbaijan’s victory
Drone use by Azerbaijan noticed in Washington Post piece. “The Washington Post has a new story tonight about the huge advantage that drones provided Azerbaijan in the 44-day war and how this offers the clearest evidence yet of how battlefields are being transformed by unmanned attack drones rolling off assembly lines around the world. The…
Drone news Oct 28-Nov 3: Iran’s latest, a sighting of a secretive RQ-180?
November 3 Video: Azerbaijani loitering munition strike “against the Armenian 2K12 Kub air defense system TEL.” Iran claims it made ‘Arash kamikaze drones’ with range of 100km, see story here and here. It may be a Kian drone. Iran claims it used drones with bombs also for the “first time,” included the Karrar with a…
Military drone wars news: Oct 20-27, 2020
October 27 Qasef Houthi drone attacks reported on Abha in Saudi Arabia. Long Range Strike Bomber B-21 models could foreshadow future stealth drone designs (see image) A patent for a new UAV with sweepforward twin-fuselage in China. Report that Russian technology helped down nine Azerbaijan drones. This is the “Belladonna” system. October 26 Another downed…
Drone News Oct 8-20
Iran arms embargo ends as Tehran says it eyes exports, Iran has had major advances in drones in recent years. Rafael Advanced Defense Systems in Israel shows off new technology at Euronaval 2020: “The NRWS C-UAS capitalizes on Rafael’s world-renowned, long-standing Typhoon family of combat-proven naval defence solutions. The NRWS C-UAS incorporates a diverse mix…
Drone news Oct 4-7: Armenia-Azerbaijan fighting, drone sales,
News about the use of UAVs in conflict continues, especially with the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict. Article at RUSI: Despite the heavy Armenian armoured losses, the key lessons from the videos Azerbaijan has published online are not about armour. Rather, they reflect how the density of sensors on the modern battlefield is changing the balance in combined arms warfare.…
Drone news Oct 1-4
More strikes by Azerbaijan. Armenia claims to have shot down 107 drones U.S. Air Force MQ-9A Reaper drone is getting nearly double the amount of firepower, due to a new software upgrade that enables the aircraft to carry eight Hellfire missiles instead of four. Israel’s Harop destroys tanks used by Azerbaijan. From what I have found that’s, #Azerbaijani side…
Drone news Sept 26-Oct 1: Azerbaijan drones, new Iran footage
Drone news over the last week has been pronounced as Azerbaijan and Armenia clashed. Armenia says 55 drones have been shot down, including 6 on October 1. There is little evidence of this. However evidence is emerging of the effective use of Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones and also Israeli drones. Many other drone stories have…
Drone Wars: The book 