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Drones
Photo: U.S. Marines with 2nd Marine Division, fly 3D printed unmanned aircraft system (ODSUAS small) on Camp Lejeune, N.C., August 27, 2017. The ODSUAS drone was created through 3D printing to be low cost, easily repaired, and have simple maintenance to allow Marines to use forward deployed. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. John A. Hamilton Jr.)
History of Drones
The U.S. Navy began using drones as aerial targets in the 1930s. The drones helped with anti-aircraft gunnery and exposed the gaps in defense for ships at sea. In the early 1960s and during the Vietnam War the U.S. Air Force modified aerial target drones to gather intelligence. 6.
In the age of the Global War on Terror (GWOT), the U.S. began mounting hellfire missiles on its Predator drones, in addtion to using the drone as an ISR platform. Non-state actors were soon employing drones as well. During the Battle for Mosul (2015-2017) the Islamic State used 'one way attack' drones and munition-drop drones. The Nagorno Karabakh War provided an insight on the importance of drones during a conventional conflict when Azerbaijan forces routed Armenian forces with the use of drones against armor and entrenched infantry positions.
First Person View (FPV) Drones
The Ukraine conflict has highlighted the capabilities of FPV drones on the modern battlefield. The U.S. military has fallen behind in the ability to develop and field FPVs when compared to other countries (Ukraine, Russia, etc.) Both U.S. conventional and special operations forces are working to catchup in the technology and fielding of this new battlefield capability.
Underwater Drones
February 19, 2024, "Houthi Lethal Underwater Drones Adds New Threat to Red Sea", by H.I. Sutton, USNI News.
Anti-Drone Systems
The United States military is developing some anti- and counter-drone capabilties. Some systems have been deployed and are in use by naval and ground forces. Additional research and development is underway for more counter drone systems. The nations of Ukraine and Russia have advanced anti-drone techniques due to the ongoing conflict between sparked in February 2022 when Russia resumed its invasion of Ukraine. Anti-dorne guns were present at the funeral for Pope Francis; showing that not only nations are using anti-drone systems. 5.
Deployment of Counter-drone Systems. For a number of years counter-drone systems have been fielded overseas and domestically on a limited basis. Counter-drone systems have been deployed at important installations, along the U.S. southern border 2., and during training exercises overseas. 1. Some counter-drone systems, such as the U.S. Marines ExDECS weapon, are using high power microwave capabilities. 4.
MADIS. The 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment recently fielded (early 2025?) the Marine Air Defense Integrated System, or MADIS. The unit is home-based in Hawaii but takes part in frequent exercises in the Pacific region. MADIS is designed to defend against low-flying threats such as helicopters, planes, and drones. 1. The Marines are also looking at mounting a counter-drone system on their Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV). 3.
Drones and Terrorism
VEOs and Drones - What is the Future? Violent extremist organizations (VEOs) are taking notice of the usefulness of small drones that can drop explosives. Small drones were first used by terrorists in 2014 by the Islamic State in Iraq. This article presents the different types of drones, how the drones can contribute to the terror threat, and some proposed countermeasures to combat the drone terrorist threat. "Moving Targets: Implications of the Russo-Ukrainian War for Drone Terrorism", CTC Sentinel, by David Hambling, Center for Combating Terrorism at West Point, July 2025.
References
Unmanned Aerial Systems Intelligent Swarm Technology,
RAND Corporation, 2024, PDF, 24 pages.
https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RRA2300/RRA2380-1/RAND_RRA2380-1.pdf
Aerial Targets, Congressional Research Service, CRS
IF12738, updated 21 July 2025, PDF, 3 pages.
https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF12738
Armed Drones: Evolution as a Counterterrorism Tool,
Congressional Research Service, CRS IF12342, updated November
7, 2023, PDF, 3 pages.
https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF12342
News Articles
March 5, 2026, "LUCAS Kamikaze Drones Lauded as "Indispensable" by U.S. Admiral in Charge of Iran War", The War Zone.
January 22, 2026, "MQ-1C Drones The Army Has Called Obsolete Added in New Budget Plan by Congress", The War Zone.
July 22, 2025, "North Korea's Deadly Drone Bonanza Is Coming to a Penisular Near You", War on the Rocks.
April 29, 2025, "The ADF isn't nearly fast enough. It must rush into the cheap-drone revolution", by Erik Davis, The Strategist, Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI).
January 29, 2024, "The Challenge of cheap drones: finding an even cheaper way to destroy them", by Bradley Perrett, The Strategist, Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI).
January 25, 2024, "How The West Can Match Russia in Drone Innovation", by Samuel Bendett and Jane Pinelis, War on the Rocks.
"The Incredible Engineering of the Black Hornet Nano Drone", Engineering.com, July 24, 2023.
Endnotes
1. April 27, 2025, "Marines prepare to defend islands with new weapon amid rising drone threats", by Seth Robson, Stars and Stripes.
2. April 29, 2025, "DOD to deploy counter-drone capabilities at US-Mexico border as cartels surveil troops", by Brandi Vincent, DefenseScoop.
3. April 29, 2025, "Marines want to add counter-drone weapon to amphibious vehicle", by Hope Hodge Seck, Defense News.
4. April 29, 2025, "Marines Get Their First High Power Microwave Weapon For Taking On Drone Swarms", by Thomas Newdick, TWZ.
5. April 29, 2025, "Anti-Drone Guns Spotted at Funeral for Pope Francis in Rome", by Peter Suciu, National Interest.
6. Early history of drones is discussed in Aerial
Targets, Congressional Research Service (CRS IF 12738),
updated 21 July 2025.
https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF12738
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