Drones alone won’t solve US Navy’s China problem

While the US looks to small unmanned systems to bolster its Pacific fleet, a high-ranking US naval officer has warned drones may not be enough to win a future conflict with China.

Admiral Sam Paparo, commander of US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), said during a recent presentation at the Brookings Institution think tank that while drones are useful in confined spaces, US forces will still need air and sea superiority vis-à-vis China.

He pointed out that small drones, though effective in areas like the Taiwan Strait, require substantial support from bases such as Okinawa, Japan, which is 436 nautical miles away.

Paparo criticized the oversimplified comparison between Ukraine’s use of drones against Russia and a potential conflict with China over Taiwan, noting that China’s military capabilities, including 2,100 fighters and three aircraft carriers, far exceed those of Russia.

Paparo stressed that human decision-making remains crucial in conflict scenarios despite advancements in unmanned technology. The US Department of Defense’s (DOD) Replicator initiative aims to deploy thousands of unmanned platforms, but Paparo cautioned against relying solely on these systems, underscoring the importance of comprehensive military strategy and readiness.

Asia Times has previously discussed the advantages and disadvantages of unmanned surface vessels (USV) in naval operations.

USVs offer strategic advantages and critical vulnerabilities, transforming the nature of modern naval warfare. With units priced as low as US$250,000, their cost-effectiveness enables cash-strapped or smaller navies to produce swarms of these drones to overwhelm more advanced adversaries with sheer numbers.

While the US Navy is far from cash-strapped and small,