RUSSIA IS ATTACKING UKRAINIAN CITIES WITH SUICIDE DRONES
Humans have been using anything and everything to blow each other up for centuries. A modern evolution of the practice is the suicide drone. Also known as loitering munitions, kamikaze drones, or exploding drones, they do exactly what you think. Found in modern conflicts, including the Russian-Ukraine War, they also have strong ties to conflicts in the Middle East. This includes Iranian suicide drones which are believed to fuel terrorism from groups in both Gaza and Yemen. Suggested read: Osprey Aircraft Crashes In Japan: Missing Soldiers Identified
What Is a Suicide Drone?
Suicide drones are aerial weapons equipped with a built-in warhead. They linger in a target area until they locate a target and execute an attack by crashing into it. This technology enhances reaction times against concealed targets without risking high-value platforms. Furthermore, it allows for adaptable targeting, mid-flight adjustments, or aborting the attack. Positioned between cruise missiles and unmanned combat aerial vehicles, loitering munitions combine features of both, uniquely serving as nontraditional ranged weapons. Originating in the 1980s for the Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) with the purpose of defending against surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), suicide drones have evolved for various purposes. This includes long-range strikes, portable battlefield systems, and much more. The terms "suicide UAVs" or "loitering missiles" were initially used to describe them, with origins attributed to projects like the AGM-136 Tacit Rainbow program or the Israeli Delilah variants. In modern warfare, the most popular example of loitering munitions are Iranian suicide drones. The nation not only uses them, but also supplies them to others. This explains why they are popular weapons for Hamas as well as Russia. Related read: Save Our Allies Is Continuing Its Mission in Israel and Gaza
Where Is the Gaza Strip?
Gaza is the smaller of two Palestinian territories. It is bordered by Egypt to the southwest and Israel to the east and north along the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Established after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, it served as a refuge for Palestinians displaced during Israel's establishment. The Oslo Accords, signed on September 13, 1993, established the Palestinian Authority. However, since 2007, the terrorist organization Hamas has controlled Gaza, leading to increased conflicts with Israel. Ever since the terrorist attacks in October 2023, Israel and Hamas have engaged in war. The death toll continues to rise as Israeli forces retaliate in Gaza. Part of the warfare between Hamas and Yemen groups supporting the efforts of Hamas involves the use of suicide drones. This development has raised concerns about the group's potential capability, supported by Iranian technology, to conduct air strikes on Israel. Despite previous boasts about its drone program, assessments (including one from the International Center for Counter-Terrorism) cast doubt on the effectiveness of Hamas' drone initiatives. Meanwhile, a U.S. warship in the Red Sea successfully intercepted multiple suicide drones launched from Houthi-held territory in Yemen, emphasizing the broader regional challenges and retaliatory actions unfolding in the Middle East. The use of an Iran suicide drone is concerning as America’s enemy continues to look for ways to hinder American influence in the Middle East and attack Israel. However, the region is not the only one dealing with such weaponry.
Suicide Drones In the Ukraine-Russian War
Suicide drones are in use in Ukraine. Moscow continues to escalate the use of cost-effective suicide drones, notably the Lancet drone. This drone is posing a growing threat on Ukraine's frontlines, according to reports from Ukrainian forces. Known as the Zala Lancet, pro-Russian channels have shown them damaging or destroying valuable Western-donated equipment. Ukrainian artillery crews identify Lancets as a significant battlefield threat, noting an increase in their usage in recent months. Russia's defense ministry encourages Lancet production as an economical means to target high-value Western equipment provided to Ukraine. The Lancet drone costs around 3 million roubles (approximately $35,000). The United States is sanctioning Zala Aero, the manufacturer of the Lancet, as a result of the attacks. How effective the tactic will be is uncertain. But the clear overarching theme is that the use of suicide drones continues to be a deadly, destructive, and disturbing trend in modern warfare.
Photo credit: Boevaya Mashina (Wikimedia Commons)
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