The US Needs Better Ways to Defend Against Drones

The Chinese military is racing to develop fearsome weapons that could help it prevail over the US in a Pacific war: hypersonic missiles, next-generation stealth fighters, “dogfighting” satellites. Yet one of its most dangerous capabilities may be among the cheapest: a rapidly growing arsenal of attack drones. Fielding better defenses against such threats needs to be a more urgent priority for the Pentagon.

The skies above Ukraine offer a nightly preview of what US forces in the region could face. Russia is firing off pulsed salvos of kamikaze drones, decoys, and cruise and ballistic missiles, aiming to disorient and deplete Ukrainian air defenses. On the front lines, small “first-person view” quadcopters filled with explosives have made it almost impossible for either side to mass forces or maneuver freely. Artificial intelligence may soon power swarms of drones that can evade jamming and coordinate with one another to take out targets.