Drones are no longer just tools of the future; they are the defining weapons of today’s battlefields. From the Israel war with Hezbollah to the Russia and Ukraine war, drones are rewriting the rules of war. The U.S., the world’s most advanced military power, finds itself in a scramble. How did we get here, and what does this mean for the future of global conflict?
The U.S. Army has expanded its drone capabilities by acquiring 12,000 new drones from Red Cat’s Teal Drones to keep up with its rivalries, China, Russia and Iran. This acquisition brings the total number of drones operated by the Army to over 23,000, a substantial increase from the previous 11,000 drones. The contract period is over five years. Each system, including the drones and controller, costs the U.S. government about $45,000.
According to reports by The Wall Street Journal, the five-year deal with Red Cat’s Teal Drones is the U.S. Army’s largest-ever purchase of small surveillance drones from Teal Drones.
This significant step is not surprising as the U.S. has been eyeing it for more than a decade after terrorists first began employing small-drone tactics against the U.S. military in the Middle East.
This huge announcement follows a rigorous test and evaluation process conducted by the Army Project Management Office for Uncrewed Aircraft Systems, the Army Maneuver Battle Lab, the Army Test and Evaluation Command, and the Army Operational Test Center.
Teal’s next-generation small uncrewed aerial systems (sUAS), named Black Widow and WEB, stood out in the selection process due to soldier feedback, technical performance, scalability, and cost. George Matus, founder of Teal and CTO of Red Cat, described the achievement as a pivotal moment:
“This is a powerful moment in time, coming after five years of blood, sweat, and tears put into SRR by our incredible team. The long-awaited production selection marks a new era for our company and the future of American drones.”
We have to look back to understand this sudden shift by the U.S. The U.S. pioneered modern drone warfare with the Predator drones during the War on Terror. These early drones targeted airstrikes, reducing the need for boots on the ground. But while the U.S. led the charge, other nations and even insurgent groups took notes.
Countries like China and Iran saw the potential and began developing their own drone capabilities. By the time the U.S. realized the impact drones could have, the technology was already out in the world, cheap, accessible, and deadly effective. Now, nations big and small can level the playing field with inexpensive drone swarms that can disable even the most sophisticated defense systems.
Now, let’s take a look at any modern battlefield. In Ukraine, drones have become a staple for both Russian and Ukrainian forces, from sophisticated reconnaissance models to homemade kamikaze drones that can devastate armored vehicles.
While the U.S. is currently trailing behind China, the world’s leading producer of drones and contributor of about 10% of modern military drones. Iran and Russia are also scaling up their drone production.
A concern has been admitted by drone expert and former U.S. Army intelligence and special operations soldier Brett Velicovich, who added how unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are changing battlefield dynamics.
Brett Velicovich said: “These handheld, small UAS systems that you are able to take a drone with a bomb strapped to it [have become] basically an artillery shell now. It’s guided artillery shells.
“Frankly, it’s changing how countries are going to fight wars in the future, and the U.S. has been so slow to get ahead of this.”
Now, modern war is not about dominance anymore; it’s about survival in a world where drones are the great equalizer. The U.S. and other global powers must grapple with the reality that war has fundamentally changed. It’s no longer about who has the biggest Army or the most advanced jets; it’s now about who can adapt to a battlefield defined by drones.
What do you think about the rise of drones in modern warfare? Are they a necessary evolution, or are they leading us down a dangerous path? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
