Robot Conquest

 Azerbaijan won a short, bloody war against Armenia this week, and the victory was due mainly to a new technology.  Turkish and Israeli UAVs (AKA, drones) destroyed Armenian soldiers, tanks, vehicles, and air defense sites almost with impunity.  These robot warriors took a giant step towards rendering many long established military technologies obsolete.

Drones are dirt cheap compared to a traditional air force and require a far more modest logistical support system.  Because countries are cranking them out and selling them to all comers, they represent a major escalation in military prowess for relatively small and weak nations. 

I am not aware of drones that can challenge the immensely expensive manned fighters deployed by superpowers, but there can be no doubt that they are just around the corner.

The Washington Post has a major story on the recent war and the role of the drones: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/nagorno-karabkah-drones-azerbaijan-aremenia/2020/11/11/441bcbd2-193d-11eb-8bda-814ca56e138b_story.html

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