Drone Warfare
Innovation, news, and analysis concerning the use of drones in combat scenarios
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Articles
Chinese Military Drones: PLA UAV Capabilities
Chinese Military Drones: PLA UAV Capabilities
A hub guide to the People's Liberation Army's drone capabilities: the Wing Loong and CH strike drones that made China the top armed-drone exporter, the GJ-11 stealth UCAVs and Jiutian swarm mothership defining its frontier, and the doctrine pointing at a Taiwan contingency. Covers platforms, the industrial base, exports and combat record, counter-drone efforts, and what remains uncertain.
Saronic Corsair: The Navy's Drone Boat | drone-warfare.com
Saronic Corsair: The Navy's Drone Boat | drone-warfare.com
A 24-foot Saronic Corsair made history near the Strait of Hormuz with the first known U.S. military personnel recovery by a drone boat, but its real job is sea denial and surveillance in the Navy's hybrid fleet against China's naval mass. This in-depth profile covers the autonomy stack, specifications and validation testing, the full vessel family, the $9.25B company and its shipyard build-out, the acquisition pathway and cost, mission and doctrine, the deterrence and deniability questions of attritable autonomy, peer comparisons, and survivability and technical assurance, separating confirmed capability from marketing throughout.
Russia's Drone Gray-Zone Campaign Against NATO
Russia's Drone Gray-Zone Campaign Against NATO
Russia is squeezing NATO's eastern flank with two distinct drone problems: direct Russian incursions into Poland and Romania, and Ukrainian strike drones pushed into the Baltics and Finland by Russian electronic warfare. This analysis separates the mechanisms, tracks the 2024 to 2026 incidents, and assesses NATO's sub-Article-5 response.
Iranian Drone Warfare TTPs and Hardware Catalog - Drone Warfare
Iranian Drone Warfare TTPs and Hardware Catalog - Drone Warfare
CH-5 Rainbow: Specs, Operators & MQ-9 Comparison | drone-warfare.com
CH-5 Rainbow: Specs, Operators & MQ-9 Comparison | drone-warfare.com
Deep-dive reference for China's CASC CH-5 Rainbow MALE armed UAV: confirmed operators (Iraq combat-validated May 14, 2026; Algeria order pending), the brochure-versus-headline specification gap, six-hardpoint weapons load, comparison against MQ-9 Reaper and Bayraktar Akinci, and the platform's role in driving the September 2025 U.S. MTCR reinterpretation.
GJ-11 Sharp Sword: China's Operational Stealth UCAV in Tibet | Drone Warfare
GJ-11 Sharp Sword: China's Operational Stealth UCAV in Tibet | Drone Warfare
The GJ-11 Sharp Sword has moved from twelve years of opaque prototyping to a forward-deployed detachment at Shigatse Air Base in Tibet, flying in a publicly demonstrated triad with the J-20 and J-16D. A naval derivative, the GJ-21, has appeared on the Type 076 Sichuan with catapult bar and tail hook. This research profile assesses what is verifiable, what is doctrinal aspiration, and what the platform changes about Indo-Pacific airpower.
DWIM Weekly: May 11–17, 2026 | Russian GPS Spoofing NATO Airspace | Drone Warfare
DWIM Weekly: May 11–17, 2026 | Russian GPS Spoofing NATO Airspace | Drone Warfare
Russia's largest recorded drone barrage of the war, exceeding 1,500 UAVs across May 13-14, 2026, coincided with Ukrainian deep-strike operations reaching 1,500 km into Russian territory and a confirmed 97% intercept rate during the peak assault. Evidence points to a deliberate Russian operational pause during the May 9-11 ceasefire to accumulate munitions before the mass strike.
DWIM Weekly: May 4–10, 2026 | 264-Drone Moscow Salvo, Geran-4 Turbojet Debut | Drone Warfare
DWIM Weekly: May 4–10, 2026 | 264-Drone Moscow Salvo, Geran-4 Turbojet Debut | Drone Warfare
Ukraine's mass drone campaign against Russian strategic depth reached a notable intensity during May 4-10, 2026, with 264-drone overnight salvos penetrating defenses around Moscow, Yaroslavl, and Rostov-on-Don while targeted strikes degraded Russian radar research and precision-strike component manufacturing. Concurrently, Iranian multi-vector attacks on UAE infrastructure and U.S. forces in the Strait of Hormuz demonstrated that drone-missile saturation tactics are now operating across two geographically separate theaters simultaneously.
DWIM Monthly: April 2026 | Unmanned Systems Warfare Analysis
DWIM Monthly: April 2026 | Unmanned Systems Warfare Analysis
Ukraine's deep-strike campaign reached the Urals at distances exceeding 1,800 km and correlates with a 40% reduction in Russian oil export capacity, while Iran's saturation drone war exposed US and allied counter-UAS gaps severe enough to trigger emergency Class J&A procurement authority. The Pentagon's $74.6 billion FY2027 autonomous systems request, including the DAWG surge from $225.9 million to $54.6 billion, signals structural reorientation contingent on a reconciliation vehicle that may not survive FY2027 mid-terms.
DWIM Weekly: Apr 27 – May 3, 2026 | 1,500 km Perm Strike, Su-57 Loss at Shagol | Drone Warfare
DWIM Weekly: Apr 27 – May 3, 2026 | 1,500 km Perm Strike, Su-57 Loss at Shagol | Drone Warfare
Ukraine's long-range drone campaign reached new depth this week, with confirmed strikes on targets exceeding 1,500 km from Ukrainian territory. Coordinated attacks on Perm refineries, Transneft pipeline infrastructure, and Shagol airbase struck assets Russia considered beyond operational reach, while AI-assisted interdiction drones disrupted logistics up to 80 km behind front lines.
DWIM Weekly: Apr 20–26, 2026 | 1,800-km Yekaterinburg Strike, OWA Drone in Romania | Drone Warfare
DWIM Weekly: Apr 20–26, 2026 | 1,800-km Yekaterinburg Strike, OWA Drone in Romania | Drone Warfare
Russia's mass drone campaign against Ukrainian civilian and industrial infrastructure intensified during the April 20–26, 2026 period, with salvos of 142–155 drones striking multiple oblasts nightly and a confirmed strike reaching Yekaterinburg at approximately 1,800 kilometers. Ukraine's counter-drone architecture matured concurrently, with air-launched interceptors from a modified An-28 turboprop, P1-Sun platforms exceeding 3,000 confirmed kills in 2026, and remote intercept operations at multi-hundred-kilometer ranges.
Iran Downs Wing Loong II Over Shiraz | Drone Warfare
Iran Downs Wing Loong II Over Shiraz | Drone Warfare
Iran downed a Chinese-made Wing Loong II over Shiraz around April 2-3, 2026, recovered the wreckage, and demanded explanations from Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Neither has acknowledged. Five weeks later, the operator question is still open and the Chinese drone export market continues unaffected.
DWIM Weekly: Apr 13–19, 2026 | MQ-4C Triton Loss, Russia 703-Weapon Salvo | Drone Warfare
DWIM Weekly: Apr 13–19, 2026 | MQ-4C Triton Loss, Russia 703-Weapon Salvo | Drone Warfare
The April 13–19, 2026 period reveals a convergence of cost-asymmetric drone warfare developments across three active theaters. In the Middle East, U.S. Army procurement of 13,000 MEROPS interceptors and Navy confirmation of the MQ-4C Triton loss on April 9 indicate both accelerating counter-UAS adaptation and persistent ISR vulnerability during ceasefire enforcement.
Countering the Shahed-136
Countering the Shahed-136
Iran's Shahed-136 is not hard to shoot down. It is hard to shoot down affordably. A $20,000 to $50,000 loitering munition routinely draws $3 to $4 million Patriot interceptors, and Gulf states have exhausted stockpiles faster than production can replenish. This analysis maps every Shahed defeat mechanism against cost per engagement, with operational data from Ukraine and Operation Epic Fury.
DWIM Weekly: Apr 6–12, 2026 | Ukraine 11K Daily Strikes, Skyhammer Procurement | Drone Warfare
DWIM Weekly: Apr 6–12, 2026 | Ukraine 11K Daily Strikes, Skyhammer Procurement | Drone Warfare
Ukraine's drone campaign reached measurable operational scale during April 6-12, 2026, with coordinated deep strikes against Russian fuel, ammunition, and air defense infrastructure across multiple theaters. Ukrainian unmanned forces conducted over 11,000 daily combat missions in March, destroyed a record 33,000 Russian UAVs, and achieved a documented 1. 3-to-1 strike drone deployment advantage over Russian forces.
RQ-180 Stealth Drone: Secret ISR Platform Revealed
RQ-180 Stealth Drone: Secret ISR Platform Revealed
The RQ-180, America's most closely guarded stealth ISR platform, was repeatedly photographed and filmed at Larissa Air Base in Greece during Operation Epic Fury. This analysis covers what the Larissa sightings reveal about the platform's configuration, its Cold War lineage, the kill chain gap that forced its exposure, and the Chinese programs racing to close the gap in penetrating high-altitude ISR.
DWIM Weekly: Mar 30–Apr 5, 2026 | Iranian Saturation Breach, Russian 286-Drone Salvo | Drone Warfare
DWIM Weekly: Mar 30–Apr 5, 2026 | Iranian Saturation Breach, Russian 286-Drone Salvo | Drone Warfare
The March 30 to April 5, 2026 period reveals two converging tactical developments across the Middle East and Eastern European theaters. Iran's sustained multi-vector campaign against Gulf state infrastructure and US forward basing has demonstrated that layered missile defense architectures face meaningful saturation vulnerabilities when ballistic missiles and low-cost loitering munitions are sequenced deliberately.
Psychological Impact of Drone Warfare: Doctrine Reshaped
Psychological Impact of Drone Warfare: Doctrine Reshaped
DWIM Weekly: Mar 16 – 22, 2026 | Drone Warfare Analysis
DWIM Weekly: Mar 16 – 22, 2026 | Drone Warfare Analysis
FPV Drone Warfare: Tactical Employment, Evolution, and Proliferation | drone-warfare.com
FPV Drone Warfare: Tactical Employment, Evolution, and Proliferation | drone-warfare.com
DWIM Weekly: Mar 9 – 15, 2026 | Drone Warfare Analysis
DWIM Weekly: Mar 9 – 15, 2026 | Drone Warfare Analysis
Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces: SBS Organization, Doctrine, and Production | drone-warfare.com
Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces: SBS Organization, Doctrine, and Production | drone-warfare.com
Russia's Unmanned Systems Forces: Rubicon Center and VBS Strategic Assessment | drone-warfare.com
Russia's Unmanned Systems Forces: Rubicon Center and VBS Strategic Assessment | drone-warfare.com
DWIM Weekly: Mar 2 – 8, 2026 | Drone Warfare Analysis
DWIM Weekly: Mar 2 – 8, 2026 | Drone Warfare Analysis
Unmanned Systems Warfare Analysis: Feb 23-Mar 1, 2026 - Drone Warfare
Unmanned Systems Warfare Analysis: Feb 23-Mar 1, 2026 - Drone Warfare
Shahed-136 Strategic Assessment - Drone Warfare
Shahed-136 Strategic Assessment - Drone Warfare
Unmanned Systems Warfare Analysis: Feb 16-22, 2026 - Drone Warfare
Unmanned Systems Warfare Analysis: Feb 16-22, 2026 - Drone Warfare
Counter-UAS 101 – Counter-UAS Drone Defeat - Drone Warfare
Counter-UAS 101 – Counter-UAS Drone Defeat - Drone Warfare
El Paso Airspace Shutdown: Cartel Drone Threats vs. Domestic Counter-UAS Realities - Drone Warfare
El Paso Airspace Shutdown: Cartel Drone Threats vs. Domestic Counter-UAS Realities - Drone Warfare
Unmanned Systems Warfare Analysis: Feb 2-8, 2026 - Drone Warfare
Unmanned Systems Warfare Analysis: Feb 2-8, 2026 - Drone Warfare
Counter-UAS 101 – Counter-UAS Electronic Warfare - Drone Warfare
Counter-UAS 101 – Counter-UAS Electronic Warfare - Drone Warfare
Unmanned Systems Warfare Analysis: Jan 19-25, 2026 - Drone Warfare
Unmanned Systems Warfare Analysis: Jan 19-25, 2026 - Drone Warfare
Counter-UAS 101 – Multi-Sensor Fusion - Drone Warfare
Counter-UAS 101 – Multi-Sensor Fusion - Drone Warfare
Counter-UAS 101 – Electro-Optical and Infrared Detection - Drone Warfare
Counter-UAS 101 – Electro-Optical and Infrared Detection - Drone Warfare
RQ-170 Sentinel: America's Shadow Drone and Its Global Ripples - Drone Warfare
RQ-170 Sentinel: America's Shadow Drone and Its Global Ripples - Drone Warfare
Top 20 Drone Warfare Incidents of 2025 - Drone Warfare
Top 20 Drone Warfare Incidents of 2025 - Drone Warfare
Sub Sea Baby: Ukraine Achieves First-Ever UUV Kill of a Submarine
Sub Sea Baby: Ukraine Achieves First-Ever UUV Kill of a Submarine
The Shahed-136: From Tehran's Secret Weapon to Global Proliferation - Drone Warfare
The Shahed-136: From Tehran's Secret Weapon to Global Proliferation - Drone Warfare
When 92% Interception Still Isn't Enough
When 92% Interception Still Isn't Enough
Drone Warfare Crosses the Threshold - by Drone Warfare
Drone Warfare Crosses the Threshold - by Drone Warfare
Mystery Drones over New Jersey
Mystery Drones over New Jersey
Counter-UAS 101 – Radar-based Drone Detection
Counter-UAS 101 – Radar-based Drone Detection
Counter-UAS 101 - Radio Frequency (RF) Drone Detection - Drone Warfare
Counter-UAS 101 - Radio Frequency (RF) Drone Detection - Drone Warfare
Counter-UAS 101 - Drone Detection Overview - Drone Warfare
Counter-UAS 101 - Drone Detection Overview - Drone Warfare
Ukraine's New Unmanned Systems Forces - Drone Warfare
Ukraine's New Unmanned Systems Forces - Drone Warfare
The Palianytsia Missile-Drone - Drone Warfare
The Palianytsia Missile-Drone - Drone Warfare
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