The United States and New Applications for Military Drones

Today, drones and their various applications have become a hot topic in the field of technology. Various companies, both military and civilian, are engaged in developing different models of drones and expanding their capabilities and applications, achieving significant advancements globally. Some areas where drones are utilized include public services, military and espionage, journalism and photography, scientific research, transportation and delivery of parcels, and disaster relief during unforeseen events. Alongside advancements in producing various drones, anti-drone technology has also progressed. Drones have strengths as well as weaknesses, and various methods have been devised to render them ineffective. In this context, according to the American website 'Military.com', the U.S. Army has recently enhanced its capabilities by ordering several 'Coyote' drones from the defense contractor 'Raytheon' to counter approaching enemy drones on the battlefield. These drones may be launched by the enemy with the aim of eliminating personnel, vehicles, or disrupting communication systems or air defense systems. This disposable drone, which carries an explosive warhead, is considered a suicide drone that is directed towards enemy drones via a radio system or fire control radar. According to a representative from the manufacturing company, this drone weighs 55 pounds (about 25 kg) and has a flight radius of 50 miles, capable of flying up to an altitude of 3,500 feet (1,050 meters) with a speed of nearly 280 miles per hour. Coyote drones are launched from four-barrel launchers that can be mounted on military trucks towards approaching enemy drones, and their wings and stabilizers unfold shortly after launch. So far, Raytheon has delivered 32 of these drones to the U.S. Army, with the remaining ordered drones, the number of which has not been reported, to be delivered to the Army by the end of this year. The wars in Iraq and Syria and the use of drones by terrorist and non-state groups have prompted the U.S. Army to equip itself with new anti-drone drones as soon as possible. In the civilian and commercial sector, extensive efforts are underway to use drones for cargo transportation. Two years ago, Amazon delivered a package to a customer in the UK for the first time. These types of drones automatically navigate to their destination and find the customer's address using the 'Global Positioning System'. While the weight of the cargo or parcels for commercial drones does not exceed 40 pounds (18 kg), the U.S. Marine Corps intends to equip itself with heavy transport drones capable of carrying loads of up to 500 pounds (226 kg) and a flight radius of at least 10 kilometers. According to the American website 'Marine Corps Times', the U.S. Marine Corps has posted an advertisement on a special federal government bidding site stating that the maximum weight of the mentioned drones should be 1,320 pounds (598 kg); they should be compact enough to be transported by a small vehicle; usable under variable weather conditions both day and night; should not take more than 30 minutes to be ready for operation; and should be delivered by the early months of next year. The goal of equipping the Marine Corps with these drones is to prepare for establishing a small drone base behind the front lines for logistical support. These drones are intended to be used for transporting packaged food rations for Marines, bottles of water, medicine and medical supplies if needed, or other necessities for personnel to the front lines.