Military Drones and the Offense–Defense Balance in Future Wars
摘要
This chapter explores the transformative potential of emerging drone technologies in future wars. Focusing on innovative programs such as the US Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, the chapter analyzes how drones powered by artificial intelligence are being developed to collaborate with manned fighter jets. These AI-driven drones are expected to work in coordination with human pilots, enhancing combat capabilities and providing new operational advantages. The chapter also discusses the potential for swarm tactics, where large numbers of technologically intensive drones powered by machine learning are deployed to overwhelm existing air defenses, reshaping the future landscape of air warfare and military strategy. However, due to the development of more cost-effective air defenses tailored to fight against drone swarms, the offense–defense balance is not necessarily expected to radically shift toward the offense. Finally, the reinforced connection between cyber and drone warfare is analyzed.