RECENTLY, Elon Musk wrote on X, “Some idiots are still building manned fighter jets like the F-35. Manned fighter jets are obsolete in the age of drones anyway and will just get pilots killed.” These lines are enough for the world to under-stand the future of combat and military superiority.

According to reports, Israel has been using India-made drones against hapless Palestinians in Gaza. Moreover, influential figures like Henry Kissinger have stated that the future of warfare will be domi-nated by unmanned artificial intelligence (AI) tools, particularly drones.

In this global race for technological dominance, Pakistan, compared to India, is lagging behind, especially in the field of AI-powered warfare. This disparity raises the possibility of drones falling into the hands of separatist groups. It is imperative for the establishment to prioritise investment in heavily-equipped small drones.

Private investors should also seek to acquire basic drone technology from China to develop military-grade drones domes-tically. Without this strategic shift, Pakistan risks losing soldiers on multiple fronts.

Zeeshan Ahmad
Peshawar

Published in Dawn, December 29th, 2024