
Warfare in the 21st century is undergoing a seismic transformation. Asymmetrical warfare, once the exception, has now become the norm, redefining conflict on a global scale. This shift is evident in recent conflicts across the Middle East and Europe, where unconventional tactics have emerged alongside traditional combat. This form of warfare often pits conventional state forces against Non-State Actors (NSAs) such as guerrilla fighters, terrorists, and criminal organizations. In regions like Syria, where state structures have fragmented, traditional battlefields are giving way to decentralized, technology-driven engagements.
Understanding the Dynamics of Asymmetrical Conflicts
Asymmetrical warfare is characterized by an imbalance of power between opposing forces, where weaker adversaries adopt unconventional tactics to counter the superior strength of their opponents. These conflicts often involve state forces confronting non-state actors, such as insurgents, guerrillas, or terrorists. The disparity in power, resources, and capabilities shapes the engagements, making asymmetrical warfare a defining feature of modern conflict.
Strategic asymmetry plays a pivotal role, with weaker forces employing indirect strategies designed to prolong engagements and erode the resolve of stronger adversaries. Meanwhile, stronger actors often favour direct confrontations, which can be politically and socially costly, limiting their ability to sustain prolonged campaigns.
Non-state groups often consist of individuals driven by ideological, religious, financial, or familial ties, blurring distinctions between traditional soldiers and criminals. Asymmetrical warfare also obscures conventional boundaries between war and peace, military and civilian roles, and even geographical borders. These conflicts often target non-combatants and emphasize psychological and legitimacy-focused tactics over territorial gains, challenging traditional norms of warfare.
Solid vs. Liquid Warfare: Shifting Paradigms
To understand the strategies of NSAs, it is crucial to differentiate between “solid” and “liquid” warfare. Solid warfare focuses on territorial conquest and control. In contrast, liquid warfare prioritizes dismantling enemy networks and targeting civilian infrastructure far from the battlefield. Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) are versatile tools that serve both approaches, aiding territorial ambitions or conducting strategic strikes to weaken adversaries.
The Syrian Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) exemplifies this hybrid approach, blending guerrilla tactics with drone warfare. By utilizing distributed production techniques, such as 3D printing and off-the-shelf components, HTS has demonstrated remarkable adaptability in leveraging technology to achieve both tactical and strategic objectives.
The Rise of Guerrilla Innovation
Modern guerrilla forces operate with agility and innovation reminiscent of tech start-ups. Functioning in decentralized structures, they strategically exploit technological advances to amplify their impact. Richard Taber’s “war of the flea” concept aptly encapsulates their tactics: small, mobile units employing surprise attacks to undermine larger, conventional forces.
Asymmetrical warfare is evolving alongside technological advancements. Whether supported by state sponsors like Iran (e.g., Hezbollah and Hamas) or constrained by limited resources, guerrilla forces increasingly develop, adapt, and leverage advanced technologies such as drones. These capabilities complicate efforts by state militaries to stay ahead of emerging threats.
The Strategic Culture of Non-State Actors
The success of NSAs in modern warfare stems from their evolving strategic culture, shaped by identity, historical narratives, and organizational structures. Groups like HTS have transitioned from loosely organized insurgencies to hybrid forces with mid-level military capabilities. By tapping into global knowledge networks and exploiting off-the-shelf technology, these actors now employ strategies once reserved for state militaries. This evolution challenges traditional assumptions, demonstrating that NSAs are capable of sophisticated planning and execution, as evidenced by their advanced use of drones.
Drones as a Game-Changing Tool in Asymmetrical Warfare: Focus on the Middle East
The evolution of drone warfare in the Middle East offers a sobering glimpse into how drones amplify asymmetry in modern conflicts. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict exemplifies the diverse ways in which non-state actors leverage UASs for tactical and strategic gains, with over 1300 UAVs launched toward Israel from Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, and Iran:
- Gaza: During the October 7 assault on Israel, Hamas demonstrated the tactical utility of drones by disabling high-tech border sensors, enabling coordinated ground incursions. This operation showcased the ability of drones to disrupt advanced defenses and facilitate offensive maneuvers
- Lebanon: Hezbollah has established itself as a significant force in drone warfare, employing UAVs for surveillance and offensive operations. With strong backing from Iran, Hezbollah has utilized drones to target Israeli military and civilian infrastructure while gathering critical intelligence on strategic sites.
- Yemen: The Houthis have employed drones to strike critical infrastructure, including oil facilities, and have demonstrated long-range missile capabilities. Their ability to extend their operational reach beyond Yemen’s borders highlights drones’ strategic value in asymmetrical warfare.
The most recent and intriguing example of drone use is the Syrian civil war preceding the fall of the Assad regime. Before the fall of Damascus, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) employed drones for reconnaissance and targeted strikes, significantly disrupting military operations.

The global nature of this phenomenon is equally striking. According to research published in Perspectives on Terrorism, from 2017 to 2023 violent non-state actors (VNSAs) have been involved in 1,122 recorded incidents of armed UAV attacks worldwide. These incidents span across regions, including Mexico and Ecuador in the Americas, the Middle East and North Africa, and as far as Myanmar, demonstrating the widespread adoption of drones as a weapon of choice in asymmetrical conflicts.

Emerging Trends in Drone Warfare
The rapid evolution of drone technology is introducing new complexities to modern warfare, with non-state actors increasingly leveraging advanced innovations:
- Frequency-Hopping Drones: These drones evade traditional jamming by dynamically shifting frequencies, enhancing their resilience to electronic countermeasures.
- FPV and AI-Guided Drones: First-Person View drones, often equipped with artificial intelligence, enable operators to execute precision strikes with greater autonomy and reduce collateral damage.
- Drone Swarms: Coordinated swarms overwhelm defenses by presenting multiple simultaneous threats, increasing the likelihood of successful strikes.
- Limitations of Library-Based C-UAS Systems: Custom-built drones and constantly evolving protocols outpace traditional counter-drone systems, underscoring the need for real-time adaptive technologies.
Staying Ahead of the Drone Threat
The rapid evolution of drone warfare underscores the urgent need for multi-layered counter-UAS (C-UAS) strategies. Non-state actors (NSAs) are continuously refining their tactics, leveraging advanced technologies to expand their reach and impact. In this high-stakes environment, states must prioritize investments in adaptive, AI-driven solutions to counter increasingly sophisticated threats. Collaborative efforts among industry stakeholders, regulatory bodies, and end-users are essential for developing comprehensive defenses. By staying proactive and innovative, the C-UAS industry can ensure its solutions remain one step ahead of the ever-changing drone threat landscape.
Sentrycs’ advanced C-UAS system is designed to address the challenges highlighted in this threat environment. The system’s innovative use of passive detection, combined with advanced RF protocol analytics, machine learning, and AI, ensures exceptional precision in identifying and mitigating unauthorized drones. Its ability to track and pinpoint drone operators, while distinguishing between friendly and hostile UAVs, is critical in asymmetrical warfare scenarios where non-state actors exploit drone technology for strategic advantage.
The system’s modular design allows for tailored deployment across diverse operational environments, ensuring effective protection against a wide range of drone threats. Notably, Sentrycs has consistently demonstrated leadership in countering emerging challenges, being among the first to adapt to encrypted communication protocols of new drones, including DJI devices, as they evolve.
In a landscape defined by rapid technological advancements and adaptive adversaries, Sentrycs exemplifies the innovation required to stay ahead. Its solutions not only address the immediate threat of drones in asymmetrical warfare but also provide a foundation for long-term, adaptive defense strategies that align with the complexities of modern conflict.