Death from the Sky: The Adaptation of Combined Arms Warfare against the UAS Threat is a U.S. Army Command and General Staff College thesis by Nicholas Champeval.

The evolution and deployment of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in combat operations signal a transformative shift in warfare. While initially considered unsuitable for large-scale combat operations (LSCO) by conventional armed forces, recent conflicts, illustrated through case studies in Nagorno Karabakh, the Middle East, and Libya, have demonstrated the significant threat posed by UAS.

This monograph underscores the formidable challenge of the UAS threat to the traditional combined arms paradigm. Despite this, the study suggests that a cohesive, well-trained, and organized force can still effectively operate in a drone environment, adopting a proactive approach to counter the UAS threat. The analysis also emphasizes the vital role of cooperation among different arms and domains within a force. Notably, the study concludes that while drones do not change the fundamental nature of war, they do enhance conflict’s political character by directly influencing belligerents’ decision-making.

Publication Date– May 2022

Death from the Sky: The Adaptation of Combined Arms Warfare against the UAS Threat contains the following major sections:

  • Introduction: the opening of a new era of warfare:
  • The Nagorno-Karabakh war: has unmanned aircraft become the ultimate game-changer at war?
  • The Middle East conflicts: a successful adaptation of combined-arms fight in an unconventional environment
  • Drone war in Libya: a success for Joint cooperation
  • Conclusion

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Author- Nicholas Champeval

See Also-

Combined Arms Warfare and Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Techniques for Combined Arms Air Defense

Post Image- The M1A2 Abrams Tank on a training exercise at the National Training Center Fort Irwin, California. (Post Image Credit: Sgt Nathan Franco, Fort Irwin Operations Group)