Smart AI swarm drones could be deadly in future wars

While India and Pakistan have fought many wars, this time there was a stark difference in technology used by both sides making it a one-sided affair. One of the biggest differentiators were the drones. While drones are being used in the Russia Ukraine war, the contrast here couldn’t be striking. Both countries have been using drones for surveillance along the border and for spying deep into enemy territory. The 2019 Bollywood film Uri introduced the drone to many Indians.

In 1981 we had the MiG-25 for surveillance. It was state of the art, could cross Mach 3, unheard of decades ago, and reached a record height of 123,523 feet. To put things in perspective, commercial planes fly at a height of between 30,000 and 40,000 feet. A MiG-25 IAF pilot could fly high all across Pakistan undetected. Today we have phased it out. A combination of satellite imagery, AWACS and drones does the trick.

In one way the current war was also a battle between Make in India and Made in China. China was playing a proxy war with India and testing out its drones through Pakistan. While almost all the Indian drones hit the mark, hardly any Pakistani drones could do the same. While we have consolidated our tech, our opponents have been left embarrassed, no matter how much they protest and pretend it is not so. Turkish drones were involved, so it’s a setback for them too.

Power of drones

Drones are very versatile. They can be made in all shapes and sizes. As small as a hummingbird or large enough just to carry a human off the battlefield. They can be customized. One drone delivered hot coffee without any spillage while another had an AK-47 fitted onto it. Drone warfare may turn into an art form with detailed military strategies depending on the type of conflict and terrain. That way India is in a good position. Its indigenous drone program is on the right track. It has now been tested on the battlefield and with that knowledge, we can go to the next level.

Soon, you will have a swarm of AI-powered smart drones. This swarm of drones will attack the enemy as one entity and have a singular mission. Even if a few are shot down, the others will continue. They will be able to co-ordinate to fool and confuse the enemy. Each drone is dispensable and can serve as a suicide bomber. Even if one returns, it can give full details about the success of the mission. Drones of all sizes powered by AI sounds like a frightening concept indeed!