IV. Swarming Munitions, UAVs and the Myth of Cheap Mass

Abstract

Swarming munitions and cheap ‘attritable’ UAVs are two of the most common features of PowerPoint slides and forecasting documents dealing with the future battlefield. Alongside the ubiquitous lightning bolts representing seamless connectivity, these highly automated assets are pictured sweeping across future skies in large numbers, rolling back the fog of war, conducting stand-in jamming and striking key targets with pinpoint accuracy. It is small wonder that this vision is extremely attractive to many policymakers. In the UK, both the Chief of the Air Staff and Chief of the Defence Staff recently outlined a vision where such capabilities might provide up to 80% of the RAF’s combat air mass by the 2030s. Swarming munitions are designed to be used in large numbers simultaneously, and to coordinate their actions as a group to improve overall efficiency. Attritable, reusable UAVs are an emerging class of UAV designed for a limited operational lifespan, able to carry modular sensor