[Arrath]

I think we're conceptualizing entirely different theaters of conflict here and talking a bit past each other.

In your naval combat scenario, I think you're absolutely correct and the proliferation of autonomous drones will not cause a seismic shift in the battlefield. Unless we go mad scientist and throw in autonomous mobile mines that with a nuclear warhead that lurk around until they home in on the acoustic signature of a CVN's screws from the SCS to Guam. But we already have attack submarines.

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I've always imagined autonomous drones as having the most impact in urban combat, or 'traditional' divisional level fights. We've seen the early impact of this technology in Crimea and most lately in the Armenia and Azerbaijan conflict.