The unprecedented Ukrainian operation “Cobweb”, in which cheap drones destroyed Russian strategic bombers worth hundreds of millions of dollars each, was a huge shock and blow to Russia.
But this attack also revealed the Achilles heel of the US army, writes The New York Times. The reason is that the world is on the verge of a new era of war and previous perceptions are not entirely correct.
Ukraine’s special military operation “Cobweb” demonstrates how cheap but effective drones can overturn traditional ideas about military superiority.
The operation, codenamed “Cobweb” was a technological and tactical breakthrough. It not only inflicted a tactical defeat on the Russian armed forces, but also forced military experts around the world to rethink their understanding of the vulnerability of military infrastructure.
The targeting and effectiveness of the attack show that even the most advanced armies in the world could be vulnerable to small drone swarms. The Pentagon has warned repeatedly about this threat, but now its scale and reality are clear.
The US military has recorded hundreds of drones flying over its bases, including 350 incidents last year alone. Their low flight paths, radio silence, and small size make them extremely difficult to detect.
Ironically, it is the United States, the country with the most powerful military in the world, that has found itself extremely vulnerable to cheap and mobile drones. Despite billions of dollars invested in drone-killing capabilities, effective protective systems do not yet exist.