Ukraine is innovating war — and it’s forcing us into a national drone emergency

In July 2022, five months after Russia invaded Ukraine, we warned that we were likely witnessing a revolution in military affairs. Two weeks later, we got heavy pushback urging us to “stop saying war has changed.”

But it has changed. Ukraine is now using drones for deep-strikes and to envelop Russian forces in 10 to 20 mile kill zones on the frontlines. Likewise, Iran’s use of drones is proving effective against fixed U.S. military frontline positions and bases in the Persian Gulf region.

Retired U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus has now argued that Ukraine’s use of unmanned aerial vehicles represents “a whole new concept of warfare.” Equally significant, the former commander and CIA director noted that “the real genius is how they’re pulling it all together” on the battlefield, melding its surveillance, targeting and strike capabilities into a unified platform. Given the advent of artificial intelligence, Petraeus foresees “algorithmically piloted drones that you can’t jam” further revolutionizing how modern warfare is fought on the frontlines.

Petraeus also warned that, “In some Western countries right now, they think that innovativeness is giving 50 drones to an armored battalion.” His opinion? “No. What we should do is scrap the armored battalions and replace them with a drone battalion.”

There is still a need for armored battalions in the U.S. Army, but that is still revolutionary thinking.

There are three key elements to a true revolution in military affairs: technological change, doctrinal change, and organizational change. The conduct of the conflict in Ukraine easily meets........

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