--- title: "The British Military Is Working on Anti-Aircraft Drone Swarms" description: "\"Swarm squadrons of network-enabled drones capable of confusing and overwhelming enemy air defenses\" could fight alongside fighter jets in the British army." date: "2019-02-19" modified: "2019-02-19" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/military-swarming-attack-drones-enemy-aircraft" categories: - "Drones" - "Military" - "Robotics" - "Robots and Machines" - "Science & Energy" tags: - "drones" - "military" - "swarm drones" - "the digest" --- # The British Military Is Working on Anti-Aircraft Drone Swarms !["Swarm squadrons of network-enabled drones capable of confusing and overwhelming enemy air defenses" could fight alongside fighter jets in the British army.]() *\Image: U.S. Army/Victor Tangermann\* ## Drone Swarms A swarm of 150 drones buzzed over Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine's head during this year's Super Bowl half time show, spelling out the words "One Love." It was a dazzling display of drone technology — and military developers in the United States and United Kingdom are increasingly interested in using something similar, but with a very different goal in mind: to surround enemy aircraft, confusing them and forcing them out of the sky. ## Overwhelming Enemies British Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson said the UK will fund research into such drones at the Royal United Services Institute think tank in London, the [*LA Times* reports](). "Swarm squadrons of network-enabled drones capable of confusing and overwhelming enemy air defenses" could fight alongside existing F-35 fighter jets in the Royal Air Force, he said. ## Project Cicada The U.S. Navy also started development on project Cicada (Close-in Covert Autonomous Disposable Aircraft) in 2006 — tiny disposable air vehicles that "can be deployed in large numbers to 'seed' an area with miniature electronic payloads," according to the [U.S. Naval Research Lab's website](). Rather than swarming the enemy with small drones, other military contractors have worked on concepts that suggest using a smaller — yet still sizable — number of low-end unmanned combat air vehicles that [closely resemble missiles and combat aircraft]() to confuse the enemy. **READ MORE:**[Swarming attack drones could soon be real weapons for the military]() \[*LA Times*\] ***More on attack drones:** [The Pentagon Unveils “Avatar” Fighter Jets and Micro-Drone Swarms]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()