UAV
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Cost Asymmetry And Escalation Dynamics: Extending Deterrence Theory For The Drone Age
Abstract: Growing economic asymmetry between inexpensive offensive systems and costly defensive architectures is reshaping escalation dynamics in contemporary warfare. Focusing on the period from 2022 to the present, the analysis examines case studies from the Russia-Ukraine war, Iran’s regional strategy in the Middle East, and recent India-Pakistan crises in South Asia. Drawing on insights from… Read More
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Drone Warfare And Officer Training: Lessons From The War In Ukraine
Abstract: The war in Ukraine demonstrates that drone warfare is a potential catalyst for profound transformation. Unmanned aerial systems have reshaped battlefield awareness, accelerated decision-making, and redistributed authority to lower tactical levels. This shift challenges traditional hierarchical command structures and exposes tensions between doctrine and operational reality within NATO and EU armed forces. Despite ongoing… Read More
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An Austrian Perspective On Training First-Person-View-Drone-Builders And Operators
Abstract: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and, especially, First Person View (FPV)-drones have fundamentally altered conventional and asymmetric warfare. With their rapid development since 2022 in the Russian-Ukrainian war, the Austrian Armed Forces recognised the need to develop methods to train future leaders in the intricacies of warfare with a heavy UAV presence and in integrating… Read More
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Analysis Of Shahed Drones From Ukraine To The Middle East
Abstract: The Shahed-136, an Iranian-manufactured loitering munition built largely from foam and plywood, has emerged as a very effective weapons system. The Shahed-136 drone has demonstrated that low-cost, mass-produced aerial munitions can systematically overwhelm sophisticated and expensive air defence architectures. Iran’s direct deployment of Shaheds against Israel in 2025, followed by Russia’s relentless campaign averaging… Read More
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Future Of Drone Warfare In South Asia
Abstract: The military confrontation between India and Pakistan that took place in May 2025 has demonstrated that in South Asian, the employment of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in active combat roles has become a reality. This growing utility of UAVs stems from their cost-effectiveness, precision, flexibility, and the reduced risk associated with their unmanned nature.… Read More
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The Impact of Automation on Combat Effectiveness: The Case of the Republic of Korea
Abstract: This study examines the relationship between the level of automation in warfare and combat effectiveness, focusing on unmanned combat systems (UCS). As the Republic of Korea faces a significant decline in the availability of military personnel due to demographic changes, UCS adoption has become a critical priority. While UCSs are anticipated to surpass human… Read More
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Autonomous Weapons and Soldier Morale
Abstract: The emergence of autonomous weapons systems (AWS) represents a clear shift in warfare and raises critical questions about the impact this change will have on soldiers’ morale on a 21st-century battlefield. The complex effects that such technology has on military morale are highlighted through historical parallels to previous, similar military innovations and supplemented by… Read More
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Additive Manufacturing: A Key Enabler Of Low-Cost Modern Warfare
Abstract: A need for low-cost warfare has emerged from the experiences of several nations in current conflicts. On the one hand, a recent missile and drone attack on Israel was successfully defeated, but at the unsustainable cost of an estimated $1-1.5 billion. Houthi drones, costing $2000 each, were successfully intercepted with Standard Missile-2s (SM-2), which… Read More
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From An Engineering Perspective: Small Drones Affecting The Course Of Warfare
Abstract: At least since the beginning of the most recent Russian invasion of Ukraine and the massive use of unmanned aerial vehicles, it has become imperative to elaborate potential countermeasures, that is, counter-unmanned aerial systems. Accordingly, based on past and ongoing conflicts – including the war in Ukraine – this paper analyses the impact of… Read More
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From ISIS to Ukraine: The Evolution of Drones’ Use On The Battlefield
Abstract: The creative use of resources can be critical to the outcome of wars, often due to their use by irregular and non-state actors. ISIS’ use of commercial drones during their attack on Mosul questioned the state-based monopoly of unmanned aerial systems. The employment of cheap commercial drones on the battlefield has caused a new… Read More
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