Enter the Era of Drone Warfare: Establishment of the Drone Operations Command to Counter Asymmetric Threats

To address the growing threat posed by North Korea's unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), a Drone Operations Command was established on the 1st of the month. This decision was made in light of North Korea's increasing provocations involving UAVs and various asymmetric threats. Military authorities have stated that the Drone Operations Command will instill fear in North Korea, emphasizing our military's robust response capabilities.

 

The establishment of the Drone Operations Command is a crucial measure to counter various threats related to North Korea's UAV provocations, enhancing national security and defense capabilities. We can now look forward to a robust response through the Drone Operations Command in preparation for North Korea's provocations.

 

On that day, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) held a ceremony in Gyeonggi Province, attended by approximately 120 key military officials, members of parliament, local government representatives, and relevant agencies, under the leadership of JCS Chairman Kim Seung-kyum, to commemorate the establishment of the Drone Operations Command. This drone command is a direct subordinate unit of the Ministry of National Defense, under the command and supervision of the JCS Chairman, making it the first-ever joint combat unit composed of Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps personnel.

 

President Yoon Suk-yeol, in his congratulatory address, stated, "We must equip ourselves with the capability and posture to deter North Korea's UAV provocations and various asymmetric threats, respond forcefully in the event of provocations, instill fear in the enemy, and gain the trust of the people." Chairman Kim emphasized that the Drone Operations Command would symbolize and embody the resolute will of our military to respond immediately and overwhelmingly to any provocation by the enemy, particularly UAV provocations.

 

The establishment of the Drone Operations Command takes into account the growing threats associated with North Korea's UAV provocations. North Korea has used drones to violate South Korean airspace and has publicly displayed activities such as showcasing the Saetbyeol-4 strategic reconnaissance UAV and the Saetbyeol-9 attack UAV during military parades, highlighting the fact that these drones pose a tangible threat to our security.

 

Furthermore, the practical utility of drones in real-world conflicts, as demonstrated in the Russia-Ukraine war, influenced the establishment of the Drone Operations Command. In line with President Yoon's directive earlier this year, legislation to establish the "Drone Operations Command Act" was proposed, and the National Assembly promptly approved the establishment of the drone command.

 

The Drone Operations Command is expected to perform defensive and offensive missions against North Korean UAVs, holding the advantage in terms of quantity. This means that if North Korea were to send one UAV into our airspace, we would deploy more than ten UAVs to overwhelm the enemy's core targets.

 

To achieve this, efforts are underway to enhance capabilities in attack drones employing kamikaze-style attacks similar to Israel's Harop, stealth drones for reconnaissance in evasion of radar networks in North Korea, and more. The Defense Science Research Institute (ADD) is conducting research on low-altitude, low-range UAVs with a wingspan of fewer than 3 meters and a length of fewer than 2 meters, with plans to produce 100 of them sequentially. Additionally, military authorities plan to invest 7.5 billion KRW in the development of low-cost, small UAVs capable of reconnaissance and strikes, which will be deployed to the Drone Operations Command.

 

Military authorities will also create replicas of North Korean UAVs with similar shapes. These replicas will be used in large numbers to create confusion and induce chaos in the event of North Korean UAV provocations. An official from the JCS stated, "We will rapidly operationalize a variety of drones, including reconnaissance, attack, stealth, and drone killer drones."

 

The establishment of the Drone Operations Command is expected to have a powerful deterrent effect on North Korea. Colonel Lee Bo-hyeong, the inaugural commander of the Drone Operations Command, emphasized, "If the enemy provokes once again with UAVs, we will make it abundantly clear to them that they will suffer devastating consequences through immediate and overwhelming responses."

 

The establishment of the Drone Operations Command is a crucial measure to counter various threats related to North Korea's UAV provocations, enhancing national security and defense capabilities. We can now look forward to a robust response through the Drone Operations Command in preparation for North Korea's provocations.