Drones: calculation replaces euphoria

Ilya Kramnik The Voice of Russia Unmanned aircraft have become an integral part of modern armies. Almost every day we receive information about drone attacks. Not only Al-Qaeda gunmen, but also civilians end up as their victims. The wide use of drones by the US military in the «war against terror» gave birth to the term «Obama’s drone policy». However, the combat capabilities of unmanned aircraft are costly. NATO’s plan of creating a united group of reconnaissance drones (Alliance Ground Surveillance) could cost three billion Euros within 20 years. Drones, or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), are becoming more widely used by the miltary, and their performance capabilities and functionality are growing. Initially, UAVs were exotic devices available only to the richest countries. Now they are becoming commonplace. The drones’ lower price in comparison with manned combat aircraft was considered one of their main advantages. Gradually the price of more complex machines has increased significantly. Today the purchase and 20-year operation of five American RQ-4 Global Hawk UAVs costs NATO almost $4 billion, while the price of the apparatus itself is less than a billion. Purchasing and maintaining approximately 12 Eurofighter Typhoon fighters, or 8 airliner-based long-range reconnaissance aircrafts, could cost the […]
Drones: calculation replaces euphoria