June 09, 2025

‘Spider’s Web’ Warning: The U.S. Must Prioritize Drone Defense to Avoid Russia’s Fate

With a single, coordinated attack, Ukraine has crippled at least a dozen Russian aircraft – including around 10 percent of Russia’s bomber fleet – using only small drones.

This drone ambush should trigger alarm bells for the US military. Like Russia, the United States is unprepared to meet the growing threat of small commercial drones.

This attack is wake-up call for US military: its counter-drone efforts are inadequate and are not keeping pace with the threat.

The audacious Ukrainian “Spider’s Web” operation was 18 months in the making. Operatives with the Security Service of Ukraine smuggled 117 first-person view (FPV) quadcopters into Russia, transporting them in crates and driving them thousands of miles in semi-trucks. On the day of the attack, the trucks stationed in a handful of locations in different parts of Russia released swarms of the small, fast drones, guided by goggle-clad pilots to crash into parked AT-50 airborne warning aircraft, and Tu-95 and Tu-22M bombers.

Ukraine has launched regular long-range drone strikes into Russia since 2023, but none of them have caused as much damage as the June 1 attacks.

Read the full article on Breaking Defense.

  • Video

    Defense

    Ep. 52: How to Rebuild Americas Defense Industrial Base

    In this episode ahead of Reindustrialize, Noah sits down with Becca Wasser and Phil Sheers from the Center for New American Security (CNAS) to discuss their groundbreaking rep...

    By Becca Wasser & Philip Sheers

    • July 17, 2025
  • Podcast

    Transatlantic Security

    Ukraine War Update with Ben Hodges and Jane Kobzova

    During the past several weeks, and since around March of this year, Russia has increased the intensity of its attacks on Ukraine. Moscow is launching brutal aerial assaults on...

    By Andrea Kendall-Taylor & Jim Townsend

    • July 15, 2025
  • Podcast

    Transatlantic Security

    NATO's Biggest Threats

    In the wake of a very short communiqué and an abbreviated Summit, many questions have been left unanswered by allies. How NATO would manage a reduction of military assets in E...

    By Andrea Kendall-Taylor & Jim Townsend

    • July 11, 2025
  • Commentary

    Transatlantic Security

    How Russia Could Exploit a Vacuum in Europe

    Putin would assume that with a smaller U.S. presence in Europe, the West would be forced to favor de-escalation, creating an environment the Kremlin would view as exceptionall...

    By Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Jim Townsend & Kate Johnston

    • Foreign Affairs
    • July 10, 2025

View All Reports View All Articles & Multimedia