In most of the world’s militaries – and even in paramilitary
groups like Hezbollah – drones and unmanned aerial vehicles
(UAVs) are playing increasing roles in combat and intelligence
gathering. They are running ahead of convoys in Afghanistan and
Iraq to try to spot or jam improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Even as far back as the first Gulf War, they were being used by
battleships to target fire from naval guns. Some Iraqi troops
even surrendered to them. Some even go so far as to say that the
era of manned fighter aircraft is drawing to a close, and that
the American F-22 may be their last such craft. They can be more
manoeuvrable than manned craft, since the physical limitations
of pilots are no longer an issue. This is an increasingly
serious problem as surface-to-air missiles continue to become
faster, more advanced, and more widely employed. Due to not
being limited by pilot fatigue, UAVs can also have a much more
enduring presence. Missions lasting several days have already
been undertaken, and futu