The scope of small drones to impact the battlefields of modern warfare can hardly be compared with that of any other technology. Tiny unmanned aerial vehicles, once merely toys or futuristic devices, have been changing the way infantry units act without much outcry. However, their usage has been very moderate. The slow pace of incorporating them into the latest operational practices is due to bureaucracy, regulations, and a culture that still prefers the traditional way of doing things. All these factors are playing a role in the current situation, which is essentially the same as what happened in the past, i.e., delayed innovation.
The past is dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s by giving a warning. At the beginning of World War I, the English Army was equipped with only two machine guns per battalion. The enormous potential of this weapon was not immediately obvious to most commanders; historian John Ellis even said that to some, they “simply did not exist.” High death tolls in the Somme battlefields followed. On the other hand, drones are becoming ubiquitous in today’s wars, but the cautious mindset of the U.S. can still be characterized as carefully planned, controlled, and slow in trying out new things.
What is the reason for this retrenchment? A part of it is due to tradition, which has great importance. The military relies on tried and tested equipment over new ones, and small drones are still considered as a complement to manned aircraft, so they are under strict regulation. As a result, the majority of drones do not go to the troops who could make use of them, and soldiers have very few opportunities in terms of experimenting and developing tactics by themselves.
For sure, this is not just a small limitation, but a strategic gap. Without the possibility of hands-on experiments, the soldiers lose the close-up opportunities to explore various methods of scouting, targeting, and engagement, which in turn could lead to the saving of lives. Take Ukraine as an example, where small drones have become ubiquitous. Military units of the infantry use them for reconnaissance, targeting, and even direct attacks. Technology has become so prevalent that now schools train students to operate drones and produce the systems on a large scale.
On the other hand, the US soldiers are confronted with policy obstacles. Cybersecurity regulations in conjunction with restrictions on foreign-origin systems have slowed down the acceptance of commercial drones, which in turn has delayed the program “Quads for Squads” of the Marine Corps.
Even when given the green light, permission comes at a very sluggish pace, and the drones offered are usually out of date with the consumer-grade technologies. Experts point out that such a scenario may even put forces at a disadvantage, not only in the use of sophisticated but also simple low-tech tools that provide considerable benefits.
Progress is visible. Marines from Camp Lejeune succeeded in the very first official program testing of small drones with live ordnance recently. The Mjolnir, an explosive payload designed to scatter lethal ball bearings swiftly, was released by the SkyRaider quadcopter without any failure.
This was not only a technical display. It was also an infantry operations test with respect to policy, safety, and tactics. According to Capt. Maj. Jessica Del Castillo, commander of the Small Unmanned Aircraft School, said the exercises were intended as an initial investigation of drone-related changes in infantry tactics in credible battle scenarios.
The integration dimension was clear in the exercises as well. Some of the drones, along with mortars, Javelins, and other larger unmanned systems, were present at the event, allowing the units to get their coordinated reconnaissance from both the ground and the air. It is this type of adaptability—fast transferring of the current situation along with accurate fire—that infantry, most of all, requires to be efficacious in multifarious and congested battlefields.
Nonetheless, a few issues still exist. For the military to truly update their arsenal, they need to do the rethinking of drone acquisition, training, and deployment in such a way that they would give soldiers more latitude in performing their duties.
The wagers are quite high. Real-world wars have made it obvious that small drones are not just an optional accessory; they are the ones defining the future of warfare. Being late in using them might have long-term effects on operational readiness and effectiveness in battle.