Drone Warfare Is Here. Massed Autonomous Robotic Warfare Will Soon Follow. America Needs to Catch Up.
In a single night, Ukraine accomplished more in its defense against Russia than over the past three years combined. Approximately 117 drones, smuggled over the border and launched from trucks parked near Russian air bases, the same bases responsible for the relentless bombardment of Ukrainian cities since the war began, took the fight deep into the Russian homeland.
Ukraine’s Operation SPIDER WEB reportedly caused $7 billion in damage to critical Russian warplanes, destroying over 40 bombers which account for about one third of its bomber fleet. This operation utilized cheap, commercially available drones to carry out the attacks. Operation SPIDER WEB wasn’t just a successful strike; it was a reminder of how quickly advancements in technology are changing the 21st-century battlefield and how defensive tactics must advance apace. Striking deep in the heart of Russia demonstrated distance is no longer a safe haven. Less than two weeks later, Israeli intelligence executed a similar operation in Iran, launching surprise airstrikes coordinated with covertly planted munitions and vehicle-based systems that destroyed key Iranian air defense sites. The U.S. should pay special attention to these recent strikes and understand just how threatening small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) are to our national security.
In this new era of asymmetric warfare, the U.S. should rapidly build upon investments in counter-small UAS (C-sUAS), strengthen protections for critical infrastructure at home, and accelerate acquisition timelines to successfully prevent similar attacks within our borders and abroad.
Centering Counter-sUAS in U.S. National Security Strategy
State and non-state actors increasingly deploy low-cost, high impact sUAS technology to achieve their strategic and battlefield objectives. Non-state actors are now able to utilize commercially available drones to carry out attacks that cause significant damage. Since 2023, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have launched hundreds of drones aimed to violently disrupt commercial shipping in the Red Sea. These attacks have required a significant U.S. military response to restore the protection of international shipping lanes and deter further Houthi aggression. However, the cost disparity is stark: U.S. forces are firing missiles worth millions of dollars to neutralize drones that cost as little as $2,000. Meanwhile, state actors like the People’s Republic of China are developing sophisticated drone arsenals hosted on dispersal platforms (“motherships”) with the ability to deploy drone swarms with both combat and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance abilities.
With the commercial availability of sUAS technology, it no longer takes an army or a militant group to launch an attack on the United States. Even one determined individual with the right technology and desire could pose a serious risk to national security. The growing presence of drones in everyday life, from recreational use to commercial applications like Walmart’s delivery services pilot, highlights the accessibility of this technology. While advancements in ground-based air defense systems are an important step to curb this threat, C-sUAS technology also needs to focus on combating low-flying drones that evade radar detection. The U.S. must invest in both passive and acoustic sensor technology to support early detection and layered defense, like Ukraine’s acoustic sensor network that uses microphones to track drones by detecting ambient noise. Sustaining investments in both kinetic and non-kinetic C-sUAS technologies is also important to ensure a comprehensive, scalable defense strategy to address a variety of sUAS threats.
Protecting Infrastructure at Home
While advancing C-sUAS technology should be a robust component of U.S. homeland defense, equally important is protecting critical infrastructure, from military bases to power grids, that are highly susceptible to drone attacks. In March of 2024, a fleet of more than a dozen unidentified drones hovered over the restricted airspace of Langley Air Force Base across a 17-day span. The swarm led to the relocation of F-22 fighter jets to another base. Later the same year, a man was arrested for attempting to attack Nashville’s power grid using a drone carrying an explosive device. These incidents, along with hundreds of others nationwide, raise the question: what if the same drones targeted locations without the means to defend themselves? A city center, a stadium, or a major airport? One coordinated attack could cripple the U.S. commercial aviation industry. High-value locations like these, if left unprotected, could cause grave damage to U.S. infrastructure and inflict a serious psychological blow to the United States.
To defend these high-risk targets, C-sUAS technology must be paired with expanding existing laws, policies, authorities, and regulations to allow timely defense of vulnerable targets. Bipartisan legislative support shows there is a viable path forward to making these changes a reality.
A Cross-Cutting Threat Demands a Unified Response
The U.S. needs to continue to invest in C-sUAS and protect critical infrastructure to prevent an adversarial Operation SPIDER WEB on U.S. soil. Traditional acquisition pathways can take years from experimentation to fielding, rendering some technology outdated by the time it is in the hands of operators. Rigid budget cycles and lengthy production timelines make it difficult to adapt our technology to match evolving threats. U.S. defense can accelerate capability delivery by fostering a more agile, risk-tolerant, and collaborative acquisition enterprise. Expanding the use of flexible acquisition pathways like Other Transaction Authorities (OTAs), Middle Tier of Acquisition (MTA), and tailored software acquisition pathways is a first step towards getting technology to the field faster.
The U.S. cannot afford to sideline the urgent threat posed by sUAS. Unlike other emerging challenges, drones are a cheap, commercially available, and easily weaponized tool. The small UAS threat has implications for nearly every modern-day conflict. Whether protecting shipping lanes or critical domestic infrastructure, the risks sUAS poses are too great to ignore. By developing C-sUAS capabilities as a core national security policy, hardening critical infrastructure, and accelerating acquisition processes, the U.S. can counter the drone threat before it hits home.
Lieutenant General Keith J. Stalder (U.S. Marine Corps, Ret.) is the Founder and President of KSA Integration, LLC, an award-winning defense and homeland security provider that delivers advanced solutions through cutting-edge technologies, strategic partnerships, and operational reach. A former F-4 and F/A-18 pilot, LtGen Stalder served over 37 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he led U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific, II Marine Expeditionary Force, and 3D Marine Aircraft Wing.
Lieutenant General William D. Beydler (U.S. Marine Corps, Ret.) A former F-4, F-5 and F/A-18 pilot, LtGen Beydler served over 37 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he led U.S. Marine Corps Forces Central Command, II Marine Expeditionary Force, and 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. Upon retirement he worked with Raytheon Technologies and now independently consults in the defense sector.
