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A new report says that the U.S. military is vulnerable to drone swarms due to insufficient scale and urgent need to meet the needs of affordable, precise drones and counter-drone systems.
Researchers New American Security Center Recognizing the Department of Defense’s efforts to improve drone capabilities over the past decade, but said it was not enough. Although the Pentagon has invested in drones and anti-UAV systems, the lack of urgency has put our competitors ahead.
China has surpassed the United States in development and production, the report said. Without rapid development and production, the U.S. military is at risk of overwhelming potential conflict with China.
“Without a profound magazine of massively enhanced anti-drone capabilities, the United States has the potential to flood its distributed combat strategies in China’s massive Chinese drone attacks, and the United States could lose war against Taiwan,” the report said.
The report said that in a battle in Taiwan, the U.S. military will need to fight against more and more drones in China. The People’s Liberation Army has long considered drones to be an integral part of its military institutions and has launched important investment plans to improve their effectiveness. In 2024, China ordered the manufacture of 1 million Kamikaze drones in 2026 and continued to invest in R&D.
The report provides numerous suggestions to the Pentagon, highlighting investment in new and emerging technologies while enhancing training and integration. Specifically, the report advocates the addition of anti-number training in all armed forces to ensure that all units can defend themselves from emerging threats.
The researchers say disasters could hit due to lack of proper training.
Their report cites a January 2024 incident in which Iran-made Shahed-101 Kamikaze drone attacked the container housing unit structure at the Jordan-Syria border. The attack killed three American soldiers and injured 40 people. The final analysis said that U.S. forces had discovered drones before attacking the building, but failed to investigate and ultimately regarded them as “probably birds or garbage.”
To prevent future tragedies, the report recommends improving drone sensors, in addition to further training, adding automation of decision-making and conducting realistic prototype testing.
The Pentagon must also focus on emerging technologies to ensure its competitors do not occupy the battlefield, the report said. The researchers specifically point out that high-power microwave ovens and high-resolution passive sensors are the future of anti-drone defense.
The Army and Air Force deployed two microwave systems to resist the drone swarm. The Army was unveiled in 2020 and can use electromagnetic pulse beams to target specific vehicles or large drones to deploy.
Defense experts are increasingly advocating to improve the development of electronic warfare systems such as Leonidas rather than traditional dynamics because of their reliability in opposing groups. However, the report says that due to the reliability of combat, the United States should still purchase a large inventory of large, short-range dynamic interceptors.
The report emerged with drones as key weapons on the modern battlefield. Drones have become a valuable tool for Russia and Ukraine, with both sides launching large groups on their borders.
Russian drone invasions are also spreading outside Ukraine. Several Russian drones entered Polish airspace this week, prompting a response from NATO forces. Alliance members condemned the move, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte condemned Russia’s behavior “reckless”.
