Lithuania drone airspace violation highlights new aerial warfare tactics

Aviation engineering expert Saulius Japertas of Kaunas University of Technology has addressed the increasing frequency of unidentified drones entering the airspace of Eastern European and Baltic nations. He cites a recent incident on September 15, where a drone violated Lithuanian airspace before being destroyed.

Japertas notes that these incursions raise geopolitical concerns, ranging from potential provocations and intelligence operations to tests of regional air defense response times. He highlights a shift in modern warfare toward the use of mass-produced, inexpensive drones, such as the ‘Gerbera’ and ‘Parodija’ models. These low-cost aircraft, often constructed from foam and inexpensive panels, are designed to act as decoys. By flying alongside actual missiles or attack drones, they force air defense systems to expend expensive interceptor missiles on non-threatening targets.