The vertigo of drones

Musk has decided to focus on drones and unmanned combat aircraft. NATO member North Macedonia opted to divest itself of all the tanks in its arsenal and donate them to Ukraine. For the Macedonian government, which aims to meet the 5% target, its focus is now on drones, missile defense systems, and armored vehicles.

The moment is approaching when Portugal will have to decide how to allocate its defense funding—a sum that doesn't count toward the deficit. All conventional arsenals have been challenged by the war in Ukraine and, more recently, by the conflict between Israel, Hamas, and Iran, which has made it crucial for each country to consider its own "iron dome."

Manned fighters are also in decline, and several countries and companies are now focusing on building remotely controlled aircraft. We are moving toward a world of soldiers trained to fight remotely, fully protected, and without direct contact with the battlefield. But whatever happens in the coming years, we cannot abandon having boots on the ground—soldiers to consolidate positions.