UK MOD Accelerates Drone Swarm Tech for 2021 Military Boost
The UK's Ministry of Defence (MOD) is pushing ahead with plans to acquire and develop advanced drone swarm technologies, aiming to bolster its military capabilities by the end of 2021. These systems, capable of operating in conjunction with manned aircraft, ground, and sea-based robotic units, promise to revolutionise military tactics.
The MOD is exploring multiple avenues in this field. It is working on a project to create a specialized unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed to identify and combat enemy submarines, operating in a swarm using artificial intelligence. Additionally, it is designing an underwater microbot swarm for Arctic exploration, involving multiple crewed and uncrewed platforms.
The MOD's interest in drone swarms is not new. In 2020, it conducted its first aerial swarm trial, involving three different drone types. These swarms can overcome air or ground defences, acquire and strike multiple targets, and create confusion among defending forces. The MOD also considers the integration of manned fighters with heavy UAVs armed with hypersonic missiles a significant shift in future aerial combat tactics.
The MOD is not alone in its pursuit of drone swarm technology. The Russian army, for instance, is developing and using various UAVs for 'drone swarm' tactics. It has established a Rubicon drone brigade, employing a range of drones like hunting FPV drones and 'Molniya' fixed-wing drones capable of carrying up to 4 kg of explosives. Russia has also developed compact kamikaze drones, similar to smaller versions of the Iranian Shahed drones, with variants for reconnaissance and precision attack, carrying up to 15 kg of explosives. These systems show increased range and jamming resistance due to fibre optic technology, intended for tactical precision strikes and swarm coordination in future conflicts.
Numerous other militaries, including the U.S., are also developing and conceptualising drone swarms. The Russian Ministry of Defence has discussed and tested the concept of using robotic swarms since at least 2017, working on developing swarms of robotic systems in the air, on the ground, and at sea.
The MOD's commitment to acquiring and developing multifunctional long-range drones and drone swarm technologies by the end of 2021 signals a significant investment in future military capabilities. These systems, along with similar developments by other militaries, promise to reshape military tactics and strategies, potentially providing a significant advantage in future conflicts.
