Myanmar’s Karenni Forces Deploy UAVs with Mortar Bombs in Conflict

In a significant escalation of tactics, the Karenni Nationalities Defence Force (KNDF) has started to employ quadcopter UAVs equipped with 81ER mortar bombs and homemade explosives in their offensives against the Myanmar government forces in Karen State.

Recent reports highlight the KNDF’s strategy of using drone technology to enhance their firepower. These drones, specifically modified hexacopters, have been loaded with 81ER mortar shells and craft-made bombs to launch attacks on military junta positions, marking a sophisticated shift in the dynamics of the conflict.

Meanwhile, the use of drones has become increasingly common among various factions within Myanmar. The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), alongside government troops, has also been observed utilizing First-Person View (FPV) drones during engagements, reflecting a broader trend in the adoption of such technologies in warfare.

This year has already seen significant action, with reports from Militarnyi noting the destruction of a Chinese-made WMA-301 wheeled tank destroyer operated by government forces, an incident believed to be facilitated by drone involvement. Myanmar’s military, known to possess around a hundred of these tank destroyers, as well as other significant assets like the Ukrainian-made BTR-3U and MT-LBMSh armored personnel carriers, continues to face substantial threats from such insurgent tactics.

As both sides of the conflict continue to integrate more advanced technological tools like FPV and kamikaze drones into their arsenals, the nature of combat in Myanmar’s ongoing civil war appears to evolve further.