UnHerd with Freddie Sayers The age of drone warfare has begun
14 snips
Mar 20, 2026 
Shashank Joshi, defence editor at The Economist and military tech analyst, breaks down how low-cost drones, smart mines and autonomous boats are reshaping naval conflict. He maps risks to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. He discusses electronic warfare limits, how cheap weapons lower the price of coercion, and whether military steps can meaningfully secure crucial sea lanes.
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Small Forces Can Impose Big Economic Chokeholds
- Sea denial is achievable with small forces because even a modest risk premium deters commercial shipping.
- Shashank Joshi cites the Red Sea/Houthi example where traffic never returned to pre-conflict levels despite US strikes.
Cheap Long-Range Drones Shift The Economics Of Attack
- Cheap long-range 'Shahid' drones extend strike reach beyond coastal launchers and are hard to detect.
- Joshi notes they cost roughly $50k–$100k and can be fired from 1000+ km from small, concealable platforms like trucks.
Suicide Boat Attacks Mirror Historic Fire Ship Tactics
- Some recent strikes in the Strait may have used naval suicide boats similar to Ukraine's attacks in the Black Sea.
- Joshi compares these to historical fire ships and notes they are semi-autonomous explosive boats used as naval drones.