Will a UAS Swarm Overwhelm the Joint Force?
Abstract
Over the last decade, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) have proliferated from major nation-state militaries to numerous commercial industries, smaller militaries, and non-state actors. A majority of countries in the world now field military UAS systems, and non-state actors have adapted commercial UAS to fulfill military roles. Recent conflicts in the Middle East, Ukraine, and the Caucasus regions demonstrate that state and non-state actors can use military specific or commercial UAS effectively on the battlefield. Artificial intelligence (AI) controlled UAS swarms will provide the next leap in UAS development. The US, China, and Russia are all developing UAS swarms that utilize AI. These UAS swarms will change the character of future wars and have to potential to overwhelm currently fielded air defense systems. This paper seeks to analyze the Joint Forces current posture and identify gaps in doctrine, training, and materiel to address UAS threats. After a long period of neglect, the Joint Force has begun to place a renewed emphasis on short-range air defense to counter currently fielded UAS; however, the Joint Force is disregarding the looming threat of UAS swarms. This paper recommends changes to doctrine, training, and materiel to adequately address this looming threat.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 26, 2021
- Accession Number
- AD1154005
Entities
People
- Gordon Morrison
Organizations
- National Defense University