Swarms of DIY drones are attacking missile defences in Yemen

Qasef-1 drone

A partially dismantled Qasef-1 drone

Conflict Armament Research

Swarms of cheap drones are taking on one of the world’s most sophisticated air defence systems. It’s not clear whether these attacks in Yemen have been successful, but home-made drone swarms targeting highly advanced military technology is a trend that is likely to grow.

The defences in question are US-made PAC-3 Patriot systems. They can bring down ballistic missiles, jets and helicopters by firing 300-kilogram missiles at speeds of up to five times the speed of sound. The systems are used by South Korea, Israel, and various …