Drone Warfare
Lessons from the Ukraine Conflict
The Russia-Ukraine war has been called the first large-scale "drone war" — both sides have extensively used unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for reconnaissance, strike missions, and swarm attacks, transforming modern warfare doctrine. Ukraine has pioneered low-cost FPV (First-Person View) drones as precision strike weapons against armoured vehicles and supply lines.
- Ukraine's drone production: by 2024, Ukraine was producing ~4 million FPV drones per year
- FPV drones: typically cost $200-500 each, can destroy tanks costing millions — the ultimate cost-asymmetric weapon
- Russia deploys Shahed-136 "kamikaze" drones (Iranian-supplied) against Ukrainian infrastructure — costing ~$20,000-50,000 each
- Ukraine has deployed electronic warfare, shotgun drone interceptors, and laser systems to counter Shahed
- NATO allies are now developing "drone walls" — barrier surveillance and interception systems along eastern flanks
- Israel's Iron Dome: costs ~$50,000 per intercept missile vs. $300-800 Qassam rockets — the cost-asymmetry problem E5 is trying to solve
● Tracked since February 21, 2026 · last seen May 15, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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