Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.65243/s.10.1.1.
Does the Evolution of Drone Warfare in Ukraine Constitute a Revolution in Military Affairs or a Military Revolution?
Fred P. Hoffman
; Intelligence Studies Department / Mercyhurst University
*
Behsat Ekici
; Intelligence Studies Department / Mercyhurst University,
Brock Ruth
; Intelligence Studies Department / Mercyhurst University
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
The widespread use of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, in the Russia-Ukraine war has significantly affected the way that conflict has been conceptualised, strategized, resourced, and fought by both sides. Major technological developments, coupled with innovations in how those technologies are integrated and used in warfare, can result in either a revolution in military affairs (RMA) or a military revolution. Whereas RMA refers to technological, tactical, doctrinal, or organisational changes limited to the military sphere, military revolutions not only affect how wars are fought but also reshape military organisations, societies, and states. Military revolutions are far less commonplace than RMAs; in fact, some military historians assert there have beenjust five military revolutions in the Western world since the 1648 Treaty of Westphalia. According to Andrew Krepinevich, then with the Pentagon’s Office of Net Assessment, a military revolution has four components: Technological change, military systems evolution, operational innovation, and organisational adaptation. Given the considerable impact that drone warfare in Ukraine has had not only on combat and combatants, but on the organisations and societies that support them, would it be accurate to characterise drone warfare as a military revolution? Considering drone warfare in Ukraine through the prism of Krepinevich’s four criteria enables us to understand how and why drone
warfare in Ukraine indeed qualifies not only as an RMA but as a military revolution.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
349014
URI
Publication date:
30.6.2026.
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