Swatting Down Drone Swarms

Advanced vehicular capabilities combined with a significant reduction in the cost of uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), aka drones, have created a dangerous and difficult-to-counter military menace.

Writing in the Scandinavian Journal of Military Studies, Matthieu J. Guitton, a faculty member at Université Laval in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, provides a summary of the nature of drone swarm threats, possible countermeasures, and practical solutions militaries can implement to effectively combat the perils posed by 21st Century adversaries.

Guitton notes that operationalizing drone swarms in battlefields is dependent on three things: “the deployment of the drones of the swarm, their degree of autonomy, and their degree of coordination.”

Complicating the situation is the fact that simply detecting a drone is difficult. They’re small, with a radar signature similar to a bird. They are designed to be stealthy either by configuration or surface coating.

There are several strategies to bring down a drone swarm. On their own these promise limited success. Thus, Guitton proposes military leaders deploy multiple tactics to defend against drone swarms. To begin with, this type of threat, like many other military threats, would benefit from a specially trained force.

Guitton spells out the available countermeasures and their limitations. Because drones are highly mobile and be deployed quickly, anti-drone units must be able to mobilize quickly and be capable of engaging and disengaging quickly.

Because of their ability to defend against drone swarms, anti-drone units can be a high priority target for adversaries. Departments of Defense should recognize the stress this situation can cause their forces and be sure rigorous mental health monitoring programs are in place to identify and treat these soldiers.

Attack drone swarms are already in the air over battlefields in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia. Their threat goes far beyond what a squadron of fighter jets pose. Counter-drone strategies call for small, nimble units specialized in a hybrid expertise combining technological and combat skills. They also need to be able to deploy quickly. This type of counter-drone force will allow for economies of scale from which any size military could benefit. The lesson for military strategists: The 21st Century battlefield requires a 21st Century battle plan, one that adapts rapidly while giving its fighters not only the technology to succeed but the mindset as well.

Keywords: drones, drone swarms, counter-drone strategies, Scandinavian Journal of Military Studies