Sydney [Australia], September 26: Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which were originally unarmed and used only for reconnaissance, have now become versatile and have become weapons that shape the art of modern warfare.
Modern UAV technology used in the military has recorded rapid developments in the past 40 years. It represents the synthesis of two modern military trends: weapon precision and the use of robotic technology to attack from a distance, reducing casualties for soldiers, according to the Australian Army Research Center.
Observers say that the reason UAVs are among the fastest growing weapons today is because they are constantly used in large and small conflicts, thereby providing real-world data.
First steps to creating a foothold
The first UAV models appeared in World War I , but technological limitations prevented them from being used in actual combat and were mainly used for training purposes. Significant advances in UAV technology for military purposes were clearly demonstrated in conflicts in the second half of the 20th century. The development of jet engines, along with the need for aerial reconnaissance while ensuring the safety of pilots, prompted powers like the United States to develop reconnaissance UAV models.
The time when the US launched the Gulf War to attack Iraq in 1991 was considered the time when modern UAV models were introduced, including the US military's MQ-1 Predator, which first took off in 1994. The MQ-1 Predator's external design with a compact body and long, narrow wings allowed this UAV to hover at an altitude of more than 6,000 m above the target, continuously for 14 hours without fear of being detected.
Roger D. Connor, curator of the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC, said that while the design of the UAV was a big step forward, it was the new electronics that made it special, according to History . "The UAV's Ku-Band antenna was truly groundbreaking. It allowed the Predator to connect to global satellite communications systems to provide low-latency imagery to pilots anywhere," Connor said.
Also in the last decades of the 20th century, UAVs were used as decoys to deplete the opponent's anti-aircraft ammunition. During the 1973 Yom Kippur War , Israel used the US-made Ryan Firebee UAV to conduct reconnaissance and lure Egypt into firing off its anti-aircraft missile arsenal.
UAVs begin to arm
According to History , the US military used the MQ-1 Predator UAV to detect terrorist Osama bin Laden in September 2000. However, because the UAV was only equipped with a camera and no missiles, the military at that time lost the opportunity to take down the terrorist leader who was wanted by the US.
Since then, the US Air Force has begun to research and equip UAVs with weapons, including mounting AGM-114 Hellfire missiles (which are launched from helicopters) under the wings of Predator UAVs, which are available. UAVs are also now used to point targets for other aircraft to attack.
In early 2001, the US successfully tested the launch of missiles from UAVs. A month after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the US military again discovered bin Laden's hideout. This time, the Predator was armed and conducted an airstrike, but terrorist leader Osama bin Laden escaped and hid for 10 years, until he was killed by US special forces in 2011.
October 2001 also marked the first time the US conducted an airstrike using UAVs, gradually opening up a period of remote combat without the direct participation of soldiers. The development of satellite data transmission technology in the following years also made UAVs increasingly involved in US military campaigns, including attacks or reconnaissance for ground forces.
Increasingly small
Experts say that US military doctrine always aims to develop weapons with cutting-edge modern technology, but this comes at the cost of high prices and difficulty in mass production.
The same is true of US UAVs in the early 21st century. If they were shot down, it would be a significant loss for the US military, requiring Washington to ensure absolute control of the air. The MQ-9 Reaper UAV, developed by the US from the MQ-1 model, was introduced in 2007 and is considered a "killer" in the airstrikes that Washington carries out.
Not every country has the military potential to develop expensive UAVs, so countries will aim for UAV models with compact designs and simpler technology to save costs and be able to produce in large quantities.
Since the 2010s, several countries have gradually introduced UAVs classified as "MALE" (Medium-altitude long-endurance, or UAVs that can fly at medium altitudes for long periods of time), often used for reconnaissance, such as: Bayraktar TB2 (Turkey), Wing Loong II (China), Hermes 900 (Israel), MQ-1 Predator (USA), Orion (Russia).
For medium and large UAV models (over 150 kg), for them to operate effectively, they need a supporting defense system, otherwise they will easily become targets for anti-aircraft missiles. It is worth mentioning that the US MQ-9 Reaper UAVs have been continuously claimed to have been shot down by Houthi forces in Yemen in clashes in the Red Sea for over a year, when each MQ-9 costs up to 30 million USD.
In addition to large UAVs, countries have also gradually begun researching low-cost UAVs, prioritizing quantity to overwhelm air defense systems, leading to the popularity of small-sized suicide and reconnaissance UAVs.
Russia-Ukraine conflict: a clear picture of UAV operations
Observers agree that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine , which has lasted for more than 3.5 years, has shown the most realistic view of the application of UAVs in the military. It also shows the constant changes in adaptation and continuous production of improved UAVs to suit the war situation.
In the early stages, TB2 UAVs in Ukrainian service appeared in large numbers and caused difficulties for Russian forces. However, their size and slow speed soon made them vulnerable to Russia's dense air defense network. That prompted Kyiv (and Moscow) to focus on developing low-cost UAV models, only a few thousand to a few tens of thousands of USD and prioritize quantity, deploying a series of " UAV swarms " in each wave to overload the opponent's air defense system.
The combat effectiveness of suicide UAVs is also highlighted when first-person view (FPV) UAVs carrying bombs can disable tanks and armored vehicles worth tens of millions of dollars. Some UAVs are crudely assembled, sometimes using only foam or simple materials on the outside and electronic circuit boards inside, with the purpose of acting as bait and causing the enemy's firepower to be exhausted.
Ukraine has received a steady flow of military aid from the United States and Europe. However, as the flow of weapons began to dry up, the limitations of traditional air defense weapons became apparent. Western interceptor missiles were still highly regarded, but they could not be fired indiscriminately due to their limited numbers, and using a million-dollar missile to destroy a small UAV was considered "using a butcher's knife to kill a chicken." In the recent fighting in Ukraine, Moscow and Kyiv both claimed that the other side had launched hundreds of UAVs every day.
The development of artificial intelligence (AI) is also being applied to UAVs. Ukrainian military intelligence said in June that it had analyzed Russia's V2U suicide UAV, showing that it has an AI module to process images and identify targets. Artificial intelligence is also said to help the military deploy hundreds to thousands of UAVs in just one sortie, according to The Wall Street Journal on September 2. The rapid development of UAVs also raises the need for research and development of air defense and electronic warfare systems to intercept them.
In the more than 20 years since its apparent presence for military purposes, UAVs have been considered one of the main factors in modern warfare. Its applicability has been clearly demonstrated in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as well as many other conflicts, and at the same time, forced countries to evaluate and re-study military doctrines.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper