Defense Express reported the information.The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), Britain's premier defense think tank, is raising concerns about the military's growing emphasis on unmanned systems as a primary warfare solution. Professor Justin Bronk, a senior research fellow at RUSI, outlined these reservations in an interview with BFBS Forces News, pointing to lessons learned from Ukraine's ongoing conflict with Russia.According to Bronk's analysis, Ukraine's heavy investment in drone technology has inadvertently spurred Russia to develop sophisticated countermeasures. Moscow has implemented comprehensive anti-drone systems across multiple levels, from electronic warfare capabilities and armored vehicle protection to integrating short-range air defense systems throughout ground forces. This arms race dynamic means that as Ukraine deploys more drones, Russia becomes increasingly adept at neutralizing them.The British military announced a radical doctrine shift in May, adopting a "20-40-40" strategy inspired by Ukraine's experience. Under this plan, 80% of Britain's forces would consist of unmanned systems: 40% mass-produced kamikaze drones and 40% reusable precision-strike platforms, leaving only 20% for traditional heavy equipment like tanks and artillery.However, RUSI experts argue that drones should complement rather than replace conventional firepower. They note that despite Ukraine's drone innovations, Ukrainian forces continue to face territorial losses, suggesting that unmanned systems alone cannot guarantee military success.The critique becomes particularly pointed when considering Britain's current military capabilities. The British Army now has more horses than tanks, and the country struggled to provide just 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine. With plans to maintain only 148 upgraded Challenger 3 tanks, questions arise about the viability of such a drone-centric approach.RUSI suggests that Britain could achieve better results by mass-producing proven weapons like Brimstone missiles or ballistic rockets, which would bypass Russian electronic warfare defenses entirely. However, the UK currently lacks the industrial capacity for such large-scale production, and developing it would require significant time and resources.The debate highlights a fundamental challenge facing Western militaries: balancing innovation with proven capabilities while building the industrial base necessary to sustain modern warfare. As Britain moves forward with its drone-heavy strategy, the success or failure of this approach may well determine the future of military doctrine across NATO allies.