Drone swarms: The potential AI future of drone warfare

CBS News
March 29, 2026
3 min read

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Ukraine and Russia race to deploy AI-controlled drone swarms that could fundamentally alter battlefield tactics.

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Oleksandr Kamyshin, the architect of Ukraine's drone program, told CBS's Holly Williams that AI-enabled drone swarm technology would give Ukraine a decisive military edge against Russia, while both nations race to develop the capability first. Kamyshin said neither country has fully mastered the technology yet, but both are approaching operational deployment. Drone swarms—coordinated groups of autonomous or semi-autonomous aircraft—could overwhelm traditional air defenses and fundamentally alter battlefield tactics. The technology represents the next phase of the ongoing competition for military AI superiority between Ukraine and Russia, with significant implications for how the war evolves. Control of drone swarm technology could determine which side gains sustained tactical advantage in a conflict already defined by rapid innovation in unmanned systems.

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