Since February 2022, Ukraine has relied heavily on Western aid to resist the Russian invasion, including the use of U.S.-supplied M1 Abrams tanks. Despite its reputation as a reliable main battle tank, the Abrams has suffered heavy losses on Ukrainian soil, with up to 20 out of 31 tanks reportedly destroyed due to advanced Russian weaponry like the Kornet anti-tank missile.
I seriously wonder if the future of warfare is going to be about who can field the most drones and there are few (if any) actual troops anywhere near the battlefield. Even a little 8" drone armed with a 9mm firearm could be more effective than having a rifleman that needs to eat, sleep, and is at risk of dying. If your drone “dies,” it’s not an issue because the operator with experience is 100 miles away and just switches to a different drone.
Nations with more manufacturing capabilities and stronger economies no longer have to worry about troops. Their experienced pilots can’t be harmed, so they’re only limited by how much material they can send out into the field. Casualties become a thing of the past. Even better is you can salvage your damaged drones or even enemy drones. That’s something you can’t do with people.