UAV / UCAV - Drohnen

[Quintus Fabius]

https://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2022/04/u...-infantry/

Loitering Munitions for Light Role Infantry

A Few Thoughts

For Light Role Infantry, every litre of rucksack space and kilogram of weight has to earn its keep.

A small UAS would have to compete with extra link, more NLAW. and the plethora of other things that fall into the ‘collective carry’ basket.

Any additional systems also have to be relevant to the role, consistent with procedures, able to be trained on in a crowded training calendar, and affordable to be widely issued.

This is why I think the fixed-wing cannister launch loitering munitions are not applicable to conventional light role infantry.

For specialist users, certainly, as part of an integrated small craft and vehicle launched approach, absolutely, and for light role infantry at Company level, yes.

But at platoon level.

No.

Far more applicable is a small UAS, like those described above.

Two or three can be carried which provides resilience against loss from accidents or enemy action. Their weight and bulk are certainly an addition, but not prohibitively so.

However, besides costs, perhaps the main problem for these systems is cognitive overload and training burdens.

This might make a case for a slightly larger platoon HQ with a system operator role, they can carry the small UAS and receive specialist training in their use.

These systems do seem mature enough for wider adoption, now show me the money!