Abstract
Armed drones are making the
headlines, especially in their role in targeted killings. In this
report, RAND researchers stepped back and asked whether these weapons
are transformative. The answer is no, though they offer significant
capabilities to their users, especially in counterterrorism operations
as has been the case for the United States. Will they proliferate? Yes,
but upon a closer look at the types of systems, only a few rich
countries will be in a position to develop the higher technology and
longer range systems. U.S. adversaries and others will likely find
weapons such as aircraft and air defenses more cost and militarily
effective. Their proliferation will not create the kinds of global
dangers that call for new arms control efforts, but the risks to
regional stability cannot be dismissed entirely, as is the case of any
conventional weapon. How the United States will use these weapons today
and into the future will be important in shaping a broader set of
international norms that discourage their misuse by others.
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