"Learning High-Speed Flight in the Wild" © A. Loquercio et al, Science Robotics, 6 Oct 2021 ( YouTube)

Missiles and drones

Missiles and drone technologies are developing rapidly, and their use is becoming more widespread.

Missiles continue to be the most suitable means of delivering WMD payloads, but cost reductions and improvements in guidance and accuracy have also led to greater use of ballistic missiles for conventional warfare. Hypersonic boost-glide systems and other quick and manoeuvrable weapons pose novel strategic threats.

Meanwhile, varieties of drones that were once considered high-end technologies for the chosen few, including long-range drones, are rapidly proliferating across the globe and play an increasingly important role in conflict zones.

UNIDIR is exploring strategies to enhance strategic predictability in relation to missiles and drones, including options for missile verification.

Sarah Grand-Clément

Sarah Grand-Clément

Researcher
Conventional Arms and Ammunition, Security and Technology
Pavel Podvig

Pavel Podvig

Senior Researcher
Weapons of Mass Destruction
Almudena Azcárate Ortega

Almudena Azcárate Ortega

Researcher
Space Security, Weapons of Mass Destruction
Almuntaser Albalawi

Almuntaser Albalawi

Researcher
Middle East WMD-Free Zone
Abdolrasool Divsallar

Abdolrasool Divsallar

Senior Researcher
Middle East WMD-Free Zone
Andrey Baklitskiy

Andrey Baklitskiy

Senior Researcher
Weapons of Mass Destruction
Barbara Morais Figueiredo

Barbara Morais Figueiredo

Researcher
Conventional Arms and Ammunition