Compass Points - Artillery Alive
AI Analysis
Recent battlefield observations from Ukraine, as reported by Forbes and a Small War Journal study, indicate drones haven't replaced artillery but have significantly complicated its employment. Drones are primarily used for target acquisition, increasing artillery's vulnerability, while artillery remains crucial for delivering substantial firepower. This highlights a synergistic relationship rather than a replacement dynamic between the two systems.
Key Takeaways
- Drones account for 70-80% of losses in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but this is due to their effectiveness in *locating* artillery, not *replacing* it.
- Artillery retains its importance due to superior payload capacity and ability to destroy hardened targets, something most drones currently lack.
- Drones are vulnerable to weather, terrain, electronic warfare, and limitations in coordinated multi-system attacks.
- A common tactic involves drones identifying targets for subsequent artillery strikes – a combined arms approach.
- The Marine Corps is specifically considering these lessons, suggesting potential adjustments to force structure and doctrine.
Why It Matters
This analysis suggests future military investment should focus on integrating drones and artillery, rather than prioritizing one over the other. Effective counter-drone measures to protect artillery assets and improved drone-artillery coordination will be critical for maintaining battlefield effectiveness. The USMC's consideration of these findings indicates a potential shift in modernization priorities.
Compass Points - Artillery Alive
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Compass Points - Artillery Alive
Drones have not replaced artillery.
Marine Corps Compass Points
Jun 03, 2026
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Compass Points - Artillery Alive
Drones have not replaced artillery.
June 3. 2026
Marine Corps Compass PointsBroader Thinking, Deeper Understanding, and Better Decisions, for a Stronger Marine Corps
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Like the patient declared dead who sits up on the operating table, cannon artillery has been declared dead again and again, and yet it is still very much alive. Will the Marine Corps learn the lesson?
Yesterday, an article in Forbes magazine admitted that, “Drones Have Not Replaced Artillery, But They Make It Harder To Fire.”
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Drones currently account for 70 to 80 percent of losses on the Russia-Ukraine battlefield, supplanting artillery as the “King of Battle.” At first glance, this shift suggests that both Russia and Ukraine have transitioned away from traditional artillery in favor of cutting-edge drones as a means of delivering fires. The reality is that drones cannot replicate the firepower of artillery, which remains central to Russian and Ukrainian combat operations. This shift has occurred not because drones are superior to artillery, but because drones have made artillery far more difficult to employ. Both sides use drones extensively to locate and target enemy guns, forcing artillery units to adapt their tactics in order to survive and continue delivering limited firepower on an increasingly transparent battlefield.
The Importance of Artillery to the Modern Battlefield
Despite their growing use, drones still face several limitations. There is an inherent trade-off between payload capacity, battery life, maneuverability, and flight speed. As a result, many drones lack the payload necessary to reliably destroy armored vehicles, fortified positions, and other hardened targets. Drones are also vulnerable to weather, terrain effects, and electronic warfare. In addition, most drone operations still rely on one operator controlling one drone, making it difficult to coordinate large-scale attacks involving multiple systems.
As a result, drones and artillery are often employed together rather than as substitutes for one another. Many of the drone-related effects are still caused by artillery, with a drone identifying a target followed by artillery delivering the destructive effects. The Russian Ministry of Defense posts videos daily showcasing artillery units engaging Ukrainian positions identified by reconnaissance drones. A number of Ukrainian units have posted similar videos on their social media showing this interplay between drones and artillery.
-- Forbes
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Last year, the Small War Journal conducted a comprehensive study of drones and artillery and came to the conclusion, “Beyond the Hype: Why Drones Ca