How drones dogfight above Ukraine
A growing number of drone-on-drone attacks shows how aerial warfare may develop
DURING THE first world war, fighter pilots duelled with pistols and rifles. Today, in the skies over Ukraine, a new type of dogfight is taking place—between drones. In October a video emerged on social media showing a Ukrainian drone ramming a Russian one, causing the latter to crash. It was the first known wartime duel between drones. Since then, Ukrainian forces have shared more videos of drone-on-drone attacks. Russian drones are also attacking Ukrainian ones (though information about those is scarcer). How do drones dogfight, and what impact might this have on aerial warfare?
This article appeared in the The Economist explains section of the print edition under the headline “How drones dogfight above Ukraine”
From the February 11th 2023 edition
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