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Tactical Network-Centric Warfare in Practice: FPV Drones and the Architecture of a New RMA Cover

Tactical Network-Centric Warfare in Practice: FPV Drones and the Architecture of a New RMA

Open Access
|Jul 2025

Abstract

The Ukraine War (2022–2025) has witnessed the unprecedented tactical proliferation of First Person View (FPV) drones - low-cost, rapidly adaptable platforms with precision-strike capabilities. This study investigates whether the integration of FPV drones constitutes a predictable military evolution or signals the unfolding of a new Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA). Employing a qualitative case study methodology, we analyze open-source data on drone usage, tactical adaptation, organizational change, and battlefield outcomes. Our findings show that FPV drones have extended the tactical reach of small units, compressed decision cycles through real-time ISR-to-strike loops, and triggered structural reforms - including the creation of new military branches and training ecosystems. Critically, their mass deployment has rendered traditional ground-based systems increasingly vulnerable, challenging established doctrines. The study introduces the concept of Tactical Network-Centric Warfare (T-NCW) to capture this transformation: a decentralized operational model enabled by FPV drones that merges precision, autonomy, and information dominance at the tactical level. These developments align with core RMA criteria and suggest a shift in the logic of land warfare. FPV drones thus function not as marginal tools, but as catalysts of systemic military change.

Language: English
Page range: 30 - 45
Published on: Jul 5, 2025
Published by: Nicolae Balcescu Land Forces Academy
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 3 issues per year

© 2025 Laviniu Bojor, Laurențiu Grigore, published by Nicolae Balcescu Land Forces Academy
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.