Saving the Brave
In the United States of America we have the strongest and bravest military in the world. With over 1.3 million active duty military the US has troops stationed all across the world, helping to fight terrorism, corruption, and evil wherever it may be. At some point, all of those soldiers have questioned their safety. Making it home to their families and friends is a huge concern, especially for those on the front lines fighting terrorist organizations like ISIS on a daily basis. With technology improving every year drones offer a relief to soldiers on the battlefield. Unmanned drones save thousands of military lives because of their reconnaissance and weapons capabilities.
First and foremost drones save military lives by being completely unmanned. All drones are remotely controlled from a separate location with no need for a pilot to be in it. It may seem simple, but the ability for the military to send in an aircraft without the risk of more human casualties has a huge impact on the battlefield. Unmanned aircraft have existed for many years now, however the technology used progresses every year. “Control systems have been perfected to the point where the operator needs far less experience with operating vehicles” (Udeanu 5). With these advancements in the piloting technology drones not only save lives by being unmanned but they are also easier to control. This frees up soldiers to be more effective in other departments and makes our military more efficient. Technological advancements have also lead to the increase in drone usage over the last decade. “President George W. Bush oversaw fewer than 50 drone strikes during his tenure, Obama has signed off on over 400 of them in the last four years, making the program the centerpiece of U.S. counterterrorism strategy ” (Byman 1). With more drone usage fewer human pilots are needed which saves hundreds of lives every year. In addition, drone surveillance technology has also improved greatly leading to fewer deaths on the battlefield.
With drone surveillance technology improving every year drones are able to help troops on the ground before they enter an area. In the last 2 decades the war on terror has continued from fighting al qaeda and now onto ISIS and other terrorist organizations. Unlike traditional armies, terrorists hide in cities amongst civilians, making it extremely difficult for ground troops to find specific high level targets. Because of this, surveillance is extremely important when it comes to counterterrorism. Drones offer a unique ability to survey large areas completely risk free and are extremely effective at finding the right targets. Companies like iStar provide leading edge technology to the military to improve their reconnaissance capabilities via drones. “iStar is a system using UAVs to gather enemy information, locate target and petrol hostile air-space without risking lives of the operators. Gathering such information by reconnaissance UAVs is more effective and voids putting soldier lives at risk.” (UDEANU 2). iStar improves upon common problems facing drones such as run time, weather conditions, and communications range. Reliable surveillance is a game changer for troops on the ground and saves countless lives in everyday operations. For example, a common mission for marines is to breach houses in search for terrorist cells, weapons stashes, high value targets, etc. Blindly entering a building with no support and no previous knowledge about the layout or the people in it can be very dangerous as there could be anything from an innocent family to a suicide bomber. Drones can find thermal heat signatures to tell soldiers how many people are in the building and where they are, greatly reducing the risk involved in searching for terrorists. Many drones are also equipped with a sensor system called HISAR which stands for hughes integrated surveillance and reconnaissance. This system uses a series of radar detectors and thermal imaging cameras to provide accurate and fast data despite adverse weather conditions or lack of light. This enables the military to run operations at night with the same reliable data as during the day. This is an extreme advantage as terrorist cells have no where near this capability and are restricted in what conditions they can attack in. However drones aren’t just an eye from above, their weapons capabilities have improved dramatically and serve as a deadly fist as well.
Since world war one planes have been used for aerial warfare and bombing runs. As the world realized in the early 1900s, air weapons and defense capabilities offer a huge advantage on the battlefield as aircraft are unaffected by changing terrain. Fast forward to today, and the western world has weapons unimaginable 100 years ago. Drones especially have a superior weapons capabilities and change the way we fight. One example of which are “unmanned aerial vehicles with sensors that can detect and monitor targets and armed with small guided missiles” (Walsh 1). The problem facing aerial combat until this point has been that very few weapons systems are able to effectively attack a specific target without risking harm to either the soldiers manning them or nearby civilians or structures. Minimizing the collateral damage has been the name of the game for drones as they can locate the exact target and take them out only. Bombs are very effective at taking out large areas, but can’t be used in cities with terrorists because there could be civilians anywhere. Same story for large guided missiles launched from a remote location, they don’t need a human pilot, but the risk of accidental civilian death is too great to be used in small areas. Precision weapons eliminate the worry for civilian deaths and help soldiers take out targets quickly and effectively. This class of drone is called a UCAV. “UCAV stands for unmanned combat aerial vehicles. This category contains aircraft that are highly maneuverable and are able to engage in air to air combat and also provide precision weapon delivery to surface targets.” (Udeanu 3). Companies like Northrop Grumman and General Atomics lead the way in making UCAVs for the US military such as the MQ-1 Predator drone and the RQ-4 Global Hawk. The Predator drone specifically is often times armed with AGM 114 Hellfire Missiles. However with all these sensors and weapons one has to wonder, what does all this cost?
Despite drones extreme usefulness they do cost a pretty penny. The MQ-1 for example has a cost of around 4 million dollars per drone depending on options and extra sensors equipped. As of 2016 the US military had 268 Predator drones, 346 Reapers, and 33 Global Hawks produced. All this adds up to billions in research and development as well as the cost for the units themselves, and the training that goes into the pilots and operation. The cost is a rightful concern for the taxpayer, however the families of the thousands veterans saved by drone use would agree that the cost is well worth it. When a soldier can come home to their family at the end of their tour does it really matter how much it cost when the loss of a hero is even greater. Another cost that comes along with drones are civilian casualties. In war, civilian casualties will always occur and it is always heartbreaking, and the war on terror is especially difficult because it can be often hard to tell who is innocent and who is a terrorist. “Since 2010 the number of civilian casualties dropped from 20% to under 5% in 2015. The value of the targets, the impossibility of infantry troops to attack, the low number of civilian casualties, and the zero loss of coalition soldiers has proved that drones were the best choice for this type of action.” (Udeanu 5). Despite popular belief drones dramatically decrease the risk of civilian death as their weaponry is far more precise and accurate than using missiles, bombs, etc. While accidents do happen, many drone strikes are played to be the problem, when in fact more people would have died without the drone taking out a specific terrorist cell or even a specific person.
As shown drones stop thousands of military lives from being put at risk on the battlefield. As they have no pilot, there is no flight crew risk of being shot down or harmed in any way during flight, and it is easier than ever to fly and operate drones. Drones also help troops on the ground by gathering valuable and necessary surveillance about an area before they enter. Using iStar, HISAR, thermal imaging, and radar technology drones are able to pinpoint specific targets and scout areas in any weather or light conditions reliably and quickly. Weaponry is another strong point for drones as they can use anything from hellfire missiles to specific self guided missiles to take out large and small targets. Drones offer the unique ability to reduce the number of civilian casualties in an area where ground troops and heavier weapons would risk more civilian deaths or loss of soldiers lives. Finally despite popular belief drones in fact greatly reduce the risk of innocent people dying in the crossfire, and although they cost the taxpayers a lot of money the soldiers coming home safe and sound is well worth the cost. As drones continue to advance in their technology they will continue to help bring peace to the rest of the world.
Bibliography
UDEANU, Gheorghe, et al. "Unmanned Aerial Vehicle in Military Operations." Scientific Research & Education in the Air Force – AFASES, vol. 1, Jan. 2016, pp. 199-205. EBSCOhost, doi:10.19062/2247-3173.2016.18.1.26.
Byman, Daniel. (2013). Why drones work: The case for Washington's weapon of choice. 92. 32-43.
Walsh, James Igoe. "Precision Weapons, Civilian Casualties, and Support for the Use of Force." Political Psychology, vol. 36, no. 5, Oct. 2015, pp. 507-523. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1111/pops.12175.