In an opinion piece in The National Interest, Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan, associate dean and professor in The University of Baltimore's College of Public Affairs and a noted expert in international relations, writes that the war in Ukraine—especially the widespread use of drones on the battlefield—has clarified "both the vulnerabilities and the opportunities of modern conflict."
"Russia's drone incursions into NATO territory highlight the urgency; Ukraine's pace of innovation points to the solution," Prof. Sheehan writes. "This is no longer only about keeping Ukraine in the fight—it is about preparing the West for the wars of tomorrow. The United States has the resources, Ukraine has the battlefield experience, and together they have the opportunity to redefine deterrence in the drone age."
Labeling the Russia-Ukraine war as "the most drone-intensive conflict of the twenty-first century," Sheehan notes that this new type of engagement brings with it palpable problems, namely the spread of the conflict beyond borders.
"In August, Polish officials confirmed that Russian drones had crossed into their airspace before being shot down near the frontier," he writes. "Around the same time, Danish and Norwegian airports were reportedly targeted by suspected drone disruptions, which local analysts described as highly likely to be Kremlin-backed."
These provocations, Dr. Sheehan says, call for an appropriate response.
"As Moscow edges closer to direct confrontation with NATO, the alliance should recognize that Ukraine's defense sector is a strategic asset in its own right. The future of warfare is unmanned, and Ukraine's battle-tested ingenuity is indispensable for preparing NATO for that future."
Read the piece in The National Interest.
Learn more about Prof. Ivan Sascha Sheehan and UBalt's School of Public and International Affairs.