“Hunter-Killer” drones are unmanned vehicles that are used to, like the name suggests, hunt and strike a target.
It’s an understatement to say that drones have fundamentally altered how battles are fought. From passenger-liner sized Global Hawk drones to drones used in Ukraine, unmanned vehicles allow soldiers to stay (mostly) out of harm’s way. A drone allows fighters to get a literal bird’s eye view of the battlefield, allowing for more accurate airstrikes, artillery bombardments, or letting soldiers just see what’s over the next hill. It’s become invaluable in 21st century combat and an essential arm of any modern fighting force. In 2023, if your army doesn’t have drones, you likely are going to have the odds stacked against you.
In addition to allowing soldiers to get a good look around, one of the more sensational uses of drones is in an offensive role. “Hunter-Killer” drones are unmanned vehicles that are used to, like the name suggests, hunt and kill a target. But in actuality, it’s a little more complex and nuanced than punching coordinates into a laptop like “Call of Duty” might have you believe. Equipped to find a target and take it out
It’s also worth noting that term “hunter-killer” refers to the specific role of the drone. And the term has many different meanings depending on the branch of service. For example, the phrase has been used by the U.S. Air Force to describe aircraft like the F-105F Thunderchief “Wild Weasel’s” mission of “hunting” and “killing” surface to air missile installations during the Vietnam War.
