As Watling himself puts it: “Unhardened UAVs are disposable tools like munitions and get consumed very rapidly. You need them in your force and you need them to be cheap.”
For decades, Western armies have relied on a few expensive, ‘exquisite’ high-tech platforms, and that includes drones. This conflict of disposable drones may lead to a radical change in military procurement towards the many and the cheap.
This conflict has unique characteristics and will rewrite some “rules” for modern war.
Does this includes the kamakaze FPV units? The ones that are meant to be expended?
Good point. They are pretty cheap to construct. All in less than €400 per unit but will take a few hours each to build.
Pretty cheap for the damage they do, of course.
good question, idk
RUSI? Tried to look them up to see if theysharee more than just letters with Russia. Found this great assessment from 2019 UK would be ‘outgunned’ in Russia conflict - think-tank
So if not biased just incompetent?
@sexy_peach In one of Hromadske’s reports from Bakhmut a drone team did quote a fairly high number for drone losses. Not sure how accurate 10k a month is but it doesn’t strike me as completely unbeliveable in relation to that.