Drones Challenge Nuclear Deterrence in Modern Warfare
Drone systems on land, at sea and in the air are reshaping nuclear deterrence and changing the logic of modern warfare, expert says.
Unmanned systems operating on land, in the air and at sea have changed the way nuclear weapons are perceived as an absolute deterrent, Dmitry Kuzyakin, chief designer at the Center for Integrated Unmanned Solutions, wrote in a column for .
According to Kuzyakin, the possession of a nuclear arsenal once made an attack by a non-nuclear state almost unthinkable. The rapid spread of drone technologies, however, has altered that logic. He pointed to a scenario in which a regional power, using unmanned systems, could push an opponent’s strongest fleet out of a strategically important area of the world ocean, including the Persian Gulf. In such circumstances, he argued, the question of whether nuclear weapons should be used no longer looks straightforward.
Kuzyakin described this shift as the «desacralization of the atom,» stressing that the process is unfolding in real time.
The Russian army has actively used unmanned aerial vehicles since the start of the special military operation. Drones play a major role along the line of contact, where their operators perform one of the most critical tasks at the front: they serve as the eyes of troops, maintaining constant surveillance of enemy movements. Russian UAVs operate around the clock, staying in the sky and tracking every step of the opposing forces. In addition to reconnaissance, drones are also used to strike military facilities, equipment and Ukrainian manpower.