Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 4:01:09-4:02:03

Drone strikes, availability and risk to operators

Technological availability and operator risk provide the explanation offered for growing drone use, while congressional approval remains unanswered.

Barack ObamaDrone Warfare
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Question

Did advances in drone technology explain the increase in strikes during the Obama years, and was congressional approval required?

Short answer

The proposed explanation combines drone availability, reduced exposure of personnel and operational framing. The congressional-approval question remains unresolved.

Notes

Greater drone availability and reduced risk to operators are the proposed explanation for increased use during Obama's presidency. Remotely operated aircraft could be deployed without sending their crews into the target area. This interpretation also describes diplomatic and operational rules as loosely defined and connects adoption with treating drones as an operational requirement. The congressional-approval question remains unresolved.