The war with Iran might or might not be winding down. A peace agreement might or might not be signed soon. Either way, lessons already have been learned.

One of the most interesting ones came earlier this month when an Army Apache helicopter was shot down by an Iranian drone over the Strait of Hormuz. The two-person crew was rescued by an American unmanned surface vessel — in other words, a drone boat.

It was a milestone in warfare — the first known incident in which airborne troops were taken down by a drone and then rescued by a drone. What this portends for the future of warmaking is fascinating but ominous.

The use of drones in battle has exploded in recent years, most notably in the war between Russia and Ukraine. Inexpensive drones have helped Ukraine level the playing field with far more powerful Russia by stymieing the progress of the Kremlin’s troops on the ground and allowing Ukraine to strike energy infrastructure and military installations deep into Russia, far behind the front lines.........

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