June 15, 2025, 6:04 pm
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In the air, modern combat aircraft can be incredibly potent battlefield and strategic tools.
On the ground, they’re targets, as burning strategic bombers in Russia now attest after Ukraine’s recent operation spiderweb.
The threat from small drones and new weapon systems wasn’t new – you will find mention of small UAS and other similar threats in Doctrinal documents dating back years. What changed is that the Ukrainians showed it could work – and did it in an extremely public way.
Today, I talk about the growing threat to air force assets in their bases, how some major forces are planning to address it, as well as the debate around passive defences like hardened aircraft shelters, decoys, and camo.
Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/c/PerunAU
Reading and Sourcing:
Hudson Institute – "Concrete Sky: Air Base Hardening in the Western Pacific"(2025)
https://www.hudson.org/arms-control-nonproliferation/concrete-sky-air-base-hardening-western-pacific-timothy-walton-thomas-shugart
"Does The U.S. Need To Be Building Hardened Aircraft Shelters For Its Combat Aircraft?"
https://www.twz.com/news-features/does-the-u-s-need-to-be-building-hardened-aircraft-shelters-for-its-combat-aircraft
Previous video on Decoys
"USAF’s ‘Aircraft Shelter Gap’ with China Creates a Flaw in Deterrence: Report"
USAF’s ‘Aircraft Shelter Gap’ with China Creates a Flaw in Deterrence: Report
"USAF Generals Downplay Calls For More Hardened Aircraft Shelters In Pacific Theater"
https://www.twz.com/air/usaf-generals-downplay-calls-for-more-hardened-aircraft-shelters-in-pacific-theater
U.S. Pacific Air Forces – Hardened aircraft shelters constructed at Kunsan (2020)
https://www.pacaf.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2301980/hardened-aircraft-shelters-constructed-at-kunsan/
GAO – "Weapon System Sustainment Aircraft Mission Capable Goals Were Generally Not Metand Sustainment Costs Varied by Aircraft" (November 2022)
https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-23-106217.pdf
The Armourer’s Bench "Russia’s DIY Anti-Drone AK Ammo"
"US Air Force eyes missile defense for dispersed bases in China fight"
https://www.defensenews.com/air/2024/08/22/us-air-force-eyes-missile-defense-for-dispersed-bases-in-china-fight/
Reporting on USMC CUAS plans
https://www.twz.com/news-features/every-marine-a-drone-defender-under-three-part-counter-uas-plan
"Marines Testing Counter-Drone Rifle Aiming System With Automatically Moving Stock"
https://www.twz.com/sea/marines-testing-counter-drone-rifle-aiming-system-with-automatically-moving-stock
Imagery of ATACMS strikes on Russian helicopters
https://www.iiss.org/online-analysis/missile-dialogue-initiative/2023/10/ukraine-targets-russian-airfields-with-us-supplied-atacms-missile/
Israeli reporting on use of infiltrated drones in Iran
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/mossad-set-up-a-drone-base-in-iran-uavs-were-activated-overnight-to-strike-surface-to-surface-missile-launchers-aimed-at-israel/
Reporting on Syrian drone attack on Russian air base (2018)
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-42595184
https://www.twz.com/17365/russia-confirms-syria-attack-but-denies-seven-aircraft-got-destroyed-as-photos-emerge
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/11/swarm-of-armed-diy-drones-attacks-russian-military-base-in-syria.html
Imagery of Su-25
https://www.twz.com/ukrainian-su-25-attack-jet-stuck-by-lancet-drone-was-a-decoy
Caveats & Comments:
All normal caveats and comments apply. In particular – I note that this material has been created for entertainment purposes and is not intended to be a complete examination of the topic and should not be relied upon to inform financial or other any other views and/or decisions.
Any content relating to the conduct, views, activities or any aspect of any person or character in this video is included for entertainment purposes and does not represent an assertion of fact on those matters or any matters in relation to that person or character.
Care has been taken in compiling data, quotes, and other inputs from various sources but errors can occur. Quotes and included data should be considered illustrative, not definitive and their veracity should not be relied on.
Timestamps:
00:00:00 — Opening Words
00:01:35 — What Am I Talking About?
00:03:49 — Protecting the (Air)force
00:06:51 — Threat Evolution
00:15:17 — Dispersal & ACE
00:24:10 — Threat Context
00:27:46 — Active Defence
00:34:50 — Passive Defence
00:45:29 — Valuing the Box
00:57:10 — 80:20
01:00:14 — Decoys
01:03:17 — the Way Forward
01:06:38 — Channel Update
Content Creator – Perun
