How attack drones are becoming the new AK-47, reshaping global warfare
A deadly strike in Israel
On October 13, 2024, a Hezbollah drone hit a dining hall at a military base near Binyamina, south of Haifa. Israeli soldiers were eating when it struck; four people died and 67 were injured.
The attack was among Israel’s deadliest in 2024. It also showed how drones can give armed groups a way to inflict harm without relying on missiles or rockets.
Echoes of the AK-47
Developed in 1947 by Soviet soldier Mikhail Kalashnikov, the AK-47 became one of the world’s most widely produced firearms. A 2006 World Bank report found that Kalashnikovs accounted for nearly one in five firearms worldwide, or 100 million; 75% of them were AK-47s.
Its popularity grew because it was inexpensive to produce, simple to operate and maintain, and reliable in harsh conditions. Soviet supplies and licensed production helped spread the rifle during the Cold War, with versions made in Bulgaria, Poland, East Germany, China and North Korea.
Drones change the battlefield
Attack drones are helping less powerful groups resist better-equipped militaries. In the early weeks of Russia’s 2022 invasion, Ukraine used Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drones to strike Russian forces.
In Myanmar, resistance groups have adapted commercial drones for use against the government’s army. Engineering students and hobbyists learned to produce and modify them using online platforms including YouTube, Telegram and Discord.
Conflict and civilian harm
Drones are also used in support of governments. In Haiti, mercenary firm Vectus Global was contracted by the government to help fight armed gangs that have taken over much of Port-au-Prince, and its personnel use drones in the effort.
A different route to global spread
Like the AK-47, drones can be compact, lightweight, inexpensive and relatively easy to operate. But their spread follows a different path: commercial markets, readily available components and technical knowledge shared online, rather than Cold War military aid and foreign production.
Key points
- A Hezbollah drone strike near Binyamina killed four people and injured 67 in October 2024.
- Drones are helping armed groups challenge better-equipped militaries in several countries.
- The United Nations recorded at least 1,000 civilian deaths from drone strikes in Sudan in early 2026.
- Unlike the AK-47, drones are spreading through commercial markets, available parts and online knowledge.