Expensive Western tanks are vulnerable to cheap drones, modern warfare is going through a significant transformation, says the New York Times.
“Drone battles in Ukraine that are changing the face of modern warfare have begun to inflict deadly damage on one of the most prominent symbols of American military power – the tank – that threatens to change the approach to its use in future conflicts,” the NYT publication said.
One of the world’s most powerful Abrams tanks can be destroyed by a drone blast far more easily than some officials and experts have suggested. This indicates a fundamental change in the nature of modern warfare, the newspaper quotes Kana Kasapoglu, a defence analyst at the American Hudson Research Institute.
The published material points out that tanks are most vulnerable up top. In the past, mines, improvised explosive devices, rockets and guided projectiles were used against them, with hit rates as high as 90 per cent of the time. Drones used in modern warfare are even more accurate, the New York Times believes.
“Depending on the size and technological equipment, drones can cost as little as $500 – a negligible amount to destroy a $10 million Abrams tank,” the publication concludes.
Earlier, Rostec State Corporation demonstrated the combat use of the Cube kamikaze drone in a special operation zone.