For starters, militaries should invest in drones, defence experts said. Whether they risk falling behind by not doing so, however, depends on what the respective states are trying to achieve.
“In terms of strike capabilities, for example, if a state wants to acquire those capabilities, but perhaps lacks the budget or the resources to invest in high-end fixed-wing aircraft or missile platforms, then drones might actually provide a viable alternative,” said Dr Ian Li Huiyuan, a research fellow at RSIS.
“Of course, the state will need to be cognisant of the limitations in its capabilities, but at least you will have something, as opposed to not having something.”
The adversaries also matter.
“Why does Iran, for example, focus on cheap drones? I think the main reason is that its adversaries or its main competitors, like the US and Israel, have access to very high-end technological capabilities, which they will not be able to match if they were to go like-for-like,” Dr Li added.
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