The Military Strategic Implications of Cheap Suicide Drone Warfare: A Case Study of Ukraine and Iran

The widespread adoption of inexpensive suicide drones has profoundly transformed contemporary warfare, as evidenced by the strategic applications observed in Ukraine and Iran. This systematic literature review investigates the military and geopolitical consequences of drone warfare, with particular attention to its transformative impact in asymmetric conflicts. We analyze how these low-cost, high-impact systems challenge traditional military doctrines, reshape battlefield dynamics, and influence global power structures. The study consolidates prior research spanning diverse aspects, such as tactical developments in the Ukraine war, the wider geopolitical consequences of drone expansion, and the shifting dynamics of communication and influence in modern warfare. Drawing upon multiple scholarly viewpoints, we discern repeated trends in the strategic value of drone warfare, including its ability to balance advantages for actors with limited resources while concurrently increasing instability in regions. The results indicate suicide drones alter cost-benefit assessments in warfare and introduce challenges for deterrence strategies and arms control agreements. Furthermore, the review highlights unresolved debates regarding the long-term consequences of drone-centric warfare, particularly its potential to democratize conflict or entrench new forms of technological hegemony. We argue that the strategic implications of low-cost suicide drones reach farther than direct battlefield impacts, calling for a reassessment of defense strategies and global security frameworks in a period marked by the growing influence of accessibility and technological advancement on military superiority.