Drone warfare, first strongly used in 2002 by the CIA to target Osama bin Laden after the series of attacks that occurred on United States soil on September eleventh. During the time of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, there was an estimated total of 100,000 flight hours by conducted by drones in support. Also known as unmanned aerial vehicles, UAVs for short, drones are used by the military primarily for surveillance purposes. However, during recent years, drones have been used for other operations such as providing airstrikes. With these airstrikes, there have been many civilian casualties involved due to them being in the targeted area. These casualties have led to people to wonder if drones are even ethical or humane
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However, unlike the drones used today, the Reaper and the Predator, the RQ-180 is being designed to “have cutting-edge stealth technology, so it could evade radar systems” and avoid being shot down (Mulrine). This newly developed drone will also be able to target radar and communication systems, which serve as vital pieces of technology for forces. In addition to the RQ-180, there is also a new unmanned aerial vehicle being developed by the United States Navy. While not much information has been released about this piece of technology, it is known that it will be able to be launch out of a submarines torpedo tube, which can then rise to the surface of the ocean then can be launched into the air to gather surveillance for up to six hours. In the coming years, drones are only going to improve and get more technologically advanced which will allow for more precise …show more content…
However, there are many tasks that a drone can do that a fighter jet cannot, and vice versa. The biggest capability that a drone has is being able to provide surveillance in places where jets cannot go. Say that there is a building that needs to be breached and searched upon, this is usually performed by the soldiers on the ground. However, by using a drone to search the building, there will not be a risk to the soldiers in case there was an IED or other explosive inside of it that could kill them.
However, unlike the drones used today, the Reaper and the Predator, the RQ-180 is being designed to “have cutting-edge stealth technology, so it could evade radar systems” and avoid being shot down (Mulrine). This newly developed drone will also be able to target radar and communication systems, which serve as vital pieces of technology for forces. In addition to the RQ-180, there is also a new unmanned aerial vehicle being developed by the United States Navy. While not much information has been released about this piece of technology, it is known that it will be able to be launch out of a submarines torpedo tube, which can then rise to the surface of the ocean then can be launched into the air to gather surveillance for up to six hours. In the coming years, drones are only going to improve and get more technologically advanced which will allow for more precise …show more content…
However, there are many tasks that a drone can do that a fighter jet cannot, and vice versa. The biggest capability that a drone has is being able to provide surveillance in places where jets cannot go. Say that there is a building that needs to be breached and searched upon, this is usually performed by the soldiers on the ground. However, by using a drone to search the building, there will not be a risk to the soldiers in case there was an IED or other explosive inside of it that could kill them.