Kathrine Frich
The war in Ukraine has reshaped modern warfare in ways few military planners predicted.
One of the clearest changes has been the explosive growth in the use of drones on the battlefield.
From reconnaissance to direct attacks, unmanned aircraft have become central to modern conflicts.
Militaries around the world are now racing to adapt their defenses to a threat that is evolving faster than expected.
Analysts say the rapid spread of relatively cheap drones has forced governments to rethink long-standing assumptions about air defense and battlefield technology.
Growing concern
American officials are now reassessing one particular threat they initially believed would be easier to counter. Iranian-made Shahed drones are proving more difficult to stop than expected.
According to CNN, US officials have acknowledged that the drones pose a bigger challenge to air defense systems than originally anticipated.
During a meeting on Capitol Hill, members of the administration warned lawmakers that existing US defenses may not be capable of intercepting every incoming drone.
According to PAP, officials explained during a closed briefing that the drones’ flight patterns complicate detection.
Unlike ballistic missiles, Shahed drones move slowly and fly close to the ground, which makes them harder for traditional missile defense systems to track.
Rethinking defenses
The characteristics of these drones are pushing the US military to reconsider how it approaches aerial defense.
Experts say the relatively simple technology can still create major problems for systems designed mainly to counter high-speed threats such as ballistic missiles.
Flying at low altitude allows the drones to avoid some standard detection methods, increasing the possibility that they could slip through defensive networks.
Their continued appearance in multiple conflict zones has intensified concern among defense planners, particularly given their comparatively low cost.
Ukrainian experience
Ukraine has spent years defending against Shahed drones during Russia’s invasion and says it has developed effective methods to intercept them.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Andriy Sybiha has expressed readiness to send Ukrainian drone specialists to the Middle East to help counter the threat.
According to reports, Kyiv could share its interception technology if international partners help facilitate a ceasefire in Ukraine’s war with Russia.
Sybiha said Ukrainian systems have achieved a 90 percent success rate in destroying Shahed drones.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has also suggested Ukraine could supply interceptor drones in exchange for additional Patriot missile systems.
Sources: CNN, PAP, O2.
