Drones: The first step of drones into the battlefield dates back to the early 1980s. Israel is known as the country that used this technology effectively for the first time. In the 1982 conflict in Lebanon, Israel began using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for reconnaissance and target identification. These UAVs provided great advantages to the Israeli army because they could conduct reconnaissance behind enemy lines and detect targets without taking risks.
During this period, the USA also started to show interest in drones. Especially during the Gulf War, the USA further developed this technology in modern warfare by using unmanned aerial vehicles for observation and reconnaissance. In this way, the role of drones on the battlefield has gradually grown, and today armed UAVs have become an indispensable part of modern armies.
Combat drones changed warfare
The first drone to enter the war inventory is the Israeli-made “Tadiran Mastiff” It is known as. This unmanned aerial vehicle was developed by Israel in the late 1970s and was used effectively in the 1982 Lebanon War. The Mastiff was a drone designed for reconnaissance and surveillance purposes, and it brought serious innovations to the battlefield compared to other technologies at the time.
With the introduction of the Mastiff to the battlefield, there were significant changes in battle strategies:
- Low Risk Exploration: This reduced troop losses.
- Faster and Precise Information CollectionThanks to its ability to collect real-time data on the battlefield, Mastiff provide commanders with fast and accurate information, enabling strategic decisions to be made faster.
- Remote Target Identification: Drones have increased their hit rates by assuming a target designator role for precision weapon systems such as laser-guided bombs.
These changes have paved the way for drone technology to become an indispensable part of modern warfare. The drones that came after the Mastiff were further developed with armed versions and began to be used not only as reconnaissance but also as direct attack elements.
How long does it stay in the air today and how much ammunition does it carry?
Nowadays, the carrying capacity and airtime of military drones vary greatly depending on the model. However, to give an example of advanced military drones, one of the most well-known MQ-9 Reaper It has very impressive features.
1. Weapon Carrying Capacity:
- MQ-9 Reaper, a drone like, approx. 1700 kgIt can carry weapons up to . This capacity may include different types of bombs, missiles (such as Hellfire missiles), laser-guided bombs and other precision weapon systems. In other words, these drones can carry seriously heavy ammunition and hit targets with high accuracy.
2. Air Time and Range:
- MQ-9 ReaperAirborne time is approximately 27 seconds. This allows it to operate for such a long time, even very deep behind enemy lines.
- Its range is approximately 1850 km. However, airborne duration and range may vary depending on the load carried and operating conditions.
Smaller, tactical drones can typically stay in the air for several hours and carry fewer weapons. For example, Bayraktar TB2 A lighter class UAV such as approx. 55 kg can carry ammunition and 24 seconds It can stay in the air. Its range is approximately 150 km around.
With these data, we can say that modern drones have the capacity to both conduct long-term reconnaissance on the battlefield, carry heavy ammunition and hit targets with high precision.
How to avoid detection of combat drones on radar
Special techniques and technologies are used to prevent war drones from being detected by radar. This is very important for drones to operate secretly and unnoticed. Now let’s explain in your own words how these work:
1. Stealth Technology:
war drones, stealth It may have what we call “invisibility” technology. This technology makes drones less visible to radar waves. How? When radar waves hit an object and are reflected back, the location of that object is determined. However, stealth technology prevents the waves from reflecting back by absorbing the radar waves or changing their direction. In this way, the radar does not “see” the drones.
2. Radar Absorbing Materials:
Special materials used on the surface of drones block radar signals. absorbs or reflects very little back. Thus, the radar cannot detect signals as if there were no drones. These materials are generally light and flexible and do not impose additional load on drones.
3. Small Size and Low Heat Signature:
Many combat drones are designed to make them difficult to detect by radar. to a small size has. Thanks to their small size, they can be detected on radar as a bird or a smaller object. In addition, the engines and electronic parts of drones have a low heat signature. It is designed to let go. Thus, it becomes difficult to detect them by thermal cameras or infrared radars.
4. Slow and Low Altitude Flight:
Some drones are used to avoid being caught on radar. at low altitude ve at slow speed can fly. Flying at low altitude allows the drone to hide among natural structures on the ground (mountains, buildings, trees). Additionally, slow flights make it more difficult for the radar to detect the drone.
5. Electronic Mixing (Jamming):
War drones destroy radar systems on the other side. electronic mixing You can disable it via . This means interfering with radar signals, misleading the radar or completely silencing it. Thus, the drone continues its flight undetected.
As a result, combat drones can fly undetected by techniques such as absorbing radar signals, flying at low altitude, and small size. They use highly sophisticated methods, both technologically and strategically.
In what area does it shoot effectively?
How far a combat drone can launch a missile depends entirely on the missile system used and the technical specifications of the drone. That is, the missile range of each drone may be different. But one of the most widely used combat drones is the MQ-9 Reaper. Let’s give an example.
MQ-9 Reaper and Missile Range
This drone is on AGM-114 Hellfire It carries missiles such as. hellfire missile, approximately 8 km. It has range. That is, the drone can effectively attack enemy targets from this distance. There are also drones that carry longer-range missiles. For example, some drones air-ground When missiles are installed, this range can be further increased.
Longer Range Missiles
In some advanced drones air-to-ground or air-to-air missiles can be found. For example, Brimstone When a more advanced missile such as a missile is used, this range 20-25 kmIt can go up to . If we are talking about a drone capable of carrying larger and more powerful missiles, this range 100 kmIt can even be found .
In short:
The missile range of a combat drone is generally 8 kmIt starts from and depends on the type of missile used 100 kmIt can go up to . This enables drones to hit targets from a distance, making them effective without approaching enemy lines.
The fastest drones
Known as the fastest combat drone General Atomics MQ-1C Gray EagleWe can give as an example. However, clearly defined figures of the maximum speed of this drone are not generally shared with the public.
Apart from this, there are some other drones that broke the speed record:
Taranis
- Speed: Approximately 1,100 km/sec (in kilometers)
- Speed: Approximately 680 miles/sec (in miles)
Boeing X-45C stands out as another fast drone and 800 km/sec (approximately 500 miles/sec) can reach speeds.
These drones can be very effective in modern warfare, thanks to their features such as speed and stealth. However, these speeds may vary depending on the operational requirements and design of the drone.
