Recent conflicts have shown that future battles will not only be fought on the ground but high up in the air. The use of drones—small, unmanned flying machines—has changed how wars happen.
The Rise of Drones in Modern Warfare
India showed robust anti-drone systems during the India-Pakistan war. Pakistan dispatched wave after wave of drones, but these technologies stopped them. This demonstrated both the potential power of drones and the ways in which technology may counteract them.
Ukraine shocked the globe with “Operation Spider Web” more recently. During this operation, Ukraine attacked about 40 significant Russian bombers using specialized first-person-view (FPV) drones concealed inside trucks. The distance between Ukraine and these aircraft was thousands of kilometers.
Russia’s long-range strike capability was weakened by the attack, which Ukraine claims cost billions of dollars in damages. This operation showed how drones have become extremely important, maybe even more than fighter jets in some ways.
Space: The New Battlefield Beyond Earth
While drones fight in the skies, a new kind of warfare is developing far above the Earth—in space.
The United States disclosed in March 2024 that China’s defense satellites were engaging in “dogfights” in orbit. A dogfight is a close-quarters conflict that often takes place in the sky between fighter jets. However, satellites are now circling one another in space, resembling fighter jets engaged in combat.
Stop Weaponizing the Stars! China Warns U.S. Against Triggering Space Arms Race
The US military claims that this space duel featured five satellites. Two of these were known as Shijian-605 A and B, and the other three were Chinese experimental satellites known as Shiyan-24C. These satellites practiced space battle tactics by moving in unison.
Shortly after, India’s SPADEX (Space Docking Experiment) mission demonstrated its own space capabilities. India’s space agency, ISRO, successfully docked two satellites in space and then performed a high-speed maneuver where the satellites moved close to each other at about 28,800 kilometers per hour. That speed is roughly 28 times faster than a commercial airplane. Flying so fast close to another object is very difficult and risky because even a small mistake can cause a crash.
This satellite maneuver was like a practice dogfight in space, testing how satellites might move and fight in future space battles. No weapons were used, but the exercise proved India’s growing skills in space technology.
Additionally, in 2019, India conducted its first anti-satellite missile test. Within three minutes of launch, the “Mission Shakti” missile effectively destroyed a live satellite in low Earth orbit. After China, Russia, and the United States, India is now the fourth nation to possess such a space warfare weapon.
From Space with Malice: China’s Satellites Tipped the Balance in India-Pakistan War
America’s “Golden Dome” and the New Space Arms Race
The United States is planning a huge new space defense system called the “Golden Dome.” This project could cost $175 billion and would create a shield of satellites in orbit around Earth to detect and destroy incoming missiles before they reach the US.
Unlike old satellites used only for communication or navigation, the Golden Dome would have satellites equipped with sensors, missile interceptors, and possibly laser weapons. These satellites would track and destroy missiles while they are still flying through space, stopping threats early.
Supporters say this system could help protect against new fast missiles called hypersonic missiles and other dangers. But this idea has caused serious concerns around the world. Russia and China warn that the Golden Dome could upset the balance of power between countries.
The worry is that if the US can stop missile attacks before they reach its soil, it might feel it has an advantage in war. This could lead other countries to build more weapons to counter it, sparking a new arms race.
Russia has strongly criticized the Golden Dome, calling it a “dangerous fantasy.” In response, Russia is speeding up the development of hypersonic weapons that can avoid missile defenses. China also views the Golden Dome as a direct threat and is increasing its own space weapons, including anti-satellite missiles and electronic warfare systems.
In this growing race for space power, India is also working hard to improve its space defense and offense abilities.
This new era of warfare shows a world where battles are no longer only fought on land or in the sky but also far beyond our planet, in space. The use of drones and satellites as weapons and defense tools marks a major shift in military strategy and technology.
