News updates on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) including latest drone technology and use in conflicts around the world. Curated articles on the topics below are provided:
- SFA in the Drone Age
- AI-Enabled Drone Swarms
- Red Army Doctrine and Drones
- Drones and Mercenaries
- High Stakes in the High North
- Sweden’s ‘Homegrown’ Drones
- Yemen and Drones
- Taiwan and Drones
- India and Drones
U.S. Military and Drones
SFA in the Drone Age. Security force assistance teams on advising and training missions in Africa must now contend with the prevalence of drones used by jihadist and terrorist organizations. This forces the SFA teams to change up their operating procedures. Read more in “Security Force Assistance in Africa’s Drone Age”, Modern War Institute, December 31, 2025.
AI-Enabled Drone Swarms. The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) in Silicon Valley is looking for companies to prototype a user-friendly “orchestrator” to control software for swarms of air, ground, and water vehicles. The intent is for a single service member to give broad voice commands to a whole group of AI-controlled drones. “DIU offers $100M in prizes for voice-controlled AI-enabled drone swarm ‘orchestrator'”, by Sydney Freedberg, Breaking Defense, January 15, 2026.
Drones and the Ukraine – Russia Conflict
Red Army Doctrine and Drones. Samson Aboulkheir explains how Soviet military doctrine of the past has transformed how Russia now fights and the role of drones in the Ukraine-Russia conflict. His article explores the concepts of nonlinear warfare and contactless warfare and how drones contribute to these concepts. “Drone Warfare in Ukraine: A Window into the Red Army’s Doctrinal Concepts”, Small Wars Journal, January 15, 2026.
Drones and Mercenaries. Once the Ukraine-Russia ends there will be an abundance of drone operating professionals with intelligence, targeting, AI, and other skills available for hire. Thousands of battle-tested fighters may be marketing their skills from both sides of the conflict. Tomorrow’s mercenaries will be operating at the intersection of technology and armed conflict. “Mercenarism Reborn: Drone Operators, Coders, and the Post-Ukraine Market for Force”, Modern War Institute, January 15, 2026.
Drones Around the World
European ‘Drone Wall’. Since the Ukraine war and recent incursions by Russian drones into eastern Europe the Europeans have stepped up their defenses against possible drone attacks. Efforts to build a European ‘drone wall’ that will establish a multi-layered air defense system are being discussed – . “A European ‘Drone Wall’: A Tall Order?”, by James M. Page, January 16, 2026. (subscription)
High Stakes in the High North. Uncrewed systems are helping allies confront the rapidly changing security dynamics in the Arctic. Drones, UxVs, and UxS will offer cost-effective ways to enhance domain awareness, deterrence, and resilience. “High Stakes in the High North: Harnessing Uncrewed Capabilities for Arctic Defense and Security”, Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), December 16, 2025. (PDF, 80 pgs)
Sweden’s ‘Homegrown’ Drones. Hundreds of millions of dollars ($450 million) is being spent to build a drone force for this Nordic country. The funds will buy suicide, ISR, airborne, and maritime drones. “Why Sweden is Building Out a Homegrown Drone Force”, The National Interest, January 14, 2026.
India and Drones. Maryam Raashed describes how India is integrating drones into its military architecture. Since the recent conflict with Pakistan this effort has received renewed focus. This effort includes training, development, and doctrine updates. “How is India Integrating Drones in its War-Fighting?”, Small Wars Journal, January 13, 2026.
Yemen and Drones. The Houthi group has been conducting drone strikes using technologically sophisticated and logistically complex multi-drone attacks as a central piece of their military and propaganda strategies. Read more in “The Houthi Model – Non-State Actors and Multi-Drone Capabilities“, by Cole Black, Small Wars Journal, December 30, 2025.
Taiwan’s Drone Program. Erin Hale writes on the manufacturing program for drones in Taiwan and says it is not ambitious enough. Political and logistical hurdles are hampering Taiwan’s ability to produce drones at a level needed to defend the island against China aggression. “Taiwan’s drone program is far too small”, Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), January 20, 2026.
**********
Image. U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, operate an unmanned aircraft system at Drawsko Combat Training Center, Poland, Jan. 13, 2026. The demonstration highlighted the importance of mechanized forces in reinforcing NATO’s defensive posture in Poland. U.S. and NATO forces in Europe conduct ongoing joint training exercises to strengthen interoperability and ensure collective defense readiness. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Dakota Bradford)
