25/02/2026
The strategic gap in South Sudan’s Defence posture: A call for Investment in Armed Drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
I will argue in this opinion piece that South Sudan's defence establishment should prioritise the acquisition of armed drones and UAVs because investing in these aerial vehicles will provide defensive and offensive capability to secure and safeguard its national security interests in the airspace domain. Notable important of investing in drones and UAVs capabilities is that they can be piloted remotely from any location and away from the battlefields, and when equipped with cameras, they can provide real-time intelligence, aerial surveillance, and reconnaissance. In addition, drones and UAVs offer high-precision, remotely operated strike capabilities while enabling battlefield overwatch, target tracking, and immediate, precise combat actions.
South Sudan's war for independence was fought with grit and determination, mainly with light weaponry, unguided munitions, and limited air support. The post-SPLA/SPLM era has witnessed an evolutionary innovation in remotely piloted aerial combat vehicles, particularly the entry of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and armed drones into battlefields. While the core principle of warfare remains the same, the deployment of UAVs and armed drones into direct combat has intensified battlefield lethality, large-scale human losses, and equipment destruction. While UAVs are more expensive to acquire, drones, on the other hand, are low-cost and easy to access due to their dual commercial use. They can be easily modified and fitted with explosive warheads, making them a popular weapon of choice for both state and non-state actors. More importantly, drones and UAVs are easy to operate and do not require the expensive, complex infrastructure often required by long-range bombers and fighter jets. Similarly, they are easy to transport by land and can be deployed in most weather and terrain conditions, making them ready for short-notice deployments. Their ability for long-endurance flight also made drones and UAVs a sought-after strategic asset in warfare. As a result, many states have made their acquisition a strategic investment in their defensive and offensive capabilities.
Without a human pilot, UAVs can loiter overhead, providing a clear bird's-eye view of enemy positions and movements thousands of feet above ground. This capability allows for UAVs to avoid friendly fire, while it releases precision guided munitions on enemy troops, disrupts infantry planned ground assaults, and targets enemy command and control centres without committing your own troops on the battlefield. Such capabilities allow for drones and UAVs to have an immediate impact on frontlines and influence the outcome of a war. In this context, armed drones and UAVs are the future weapons of modern warfare.
For context, our region has witnessed a series of intra-state conflicts and border skirmishes since 2013. Some of these countries affected by intra-state conflicts, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Somalia, have relied heavily on the use of armed drones and UAVs to disrupt various rebels’ activities, such as logistical support, forward deployment, and the dismantling of mobile command and control centres. In contrast, South Sudan struggles in the initial phase of its first civil war against advancing rebels in 2013. As observed in the first week of the war, the lack of air supremacy over rebel-held territories was noticeable. In particular, the lack of crucial aerial surveillance for intelligence collection and reconnaissance, and of an airstrike capability, has prolonged the war and made it a war of attrition to date.
In analysing South Sudan’s defensive and offensive shortcomings, valuable lessons can be drawn from regional conflicts and South Sudan's own civil wars to inform future defence planning and protect its national security interests. As it has been observed in other notable conflicts in the region and beyond, armed drones and other various UAV hybrids have been deployed with a notable battlefield advantage against rebel groups and Islamist insurgents, especially in Mali, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso. For instance, the introduction of the Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 has made a significant impact on the battlefields. Bayraktar has provided actionable intelligence, aerial surveillance, and airstrikes, disrupting insurgents' ambushes and planned attacks against governments. A similar shift in battlefield dynamics has also been observed in the Russia-Ukraine war due to the role played by drones and UAVs. Despite Ukraine ceding much of its southern and eastern parts to Russia, Ukraine has fiercely defended its territorial integrity and inflicted heavy losses in human and equipment against the Russian army. In this conflict, armed drones and UAVs have featured predominantly in direct combat and have proven to be more reliable and effective than infantry and tanks in modern battlefields.
For South Sudan to remain militarily competitive in the region, it needs to invest in drones and UAVs to protect its national security interests amid political instability and internal conflicts. Therefore, South Sudan's defence establishment should explore outward opportunities for defence partnerships with countries such as Turkiye, China, Russia, Ukraine, and Israel, which have advanced drone technology and development. In summary, acquiring armed drones and UAVs will provide the country with both defensive and offensive capabilities in its arsenal while it continues to work on security sector reforms, while maintaining aerial capability for deterrence, border infiltration, and encroachment.
Aru Kok
The author is a former Australian Department of Defence’s Security advisor, and a graduate of the Australian National University’ s National Security College.
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