Drones have been used as loitering munitions (LM) to attack merchant ships. This is a specific type of drone with a built-in weapon and some with the capability to loiter in an area until their target is located. The global proliferation of these rapidly advancing technologies poses a new and rising security risk to merchant shipping. Although these attacks have been focussed in the Middle East region, their use elsewhere cannot be discounted.
This information paper covers:
- The threat posed by LM such as the Shahed-136, which has been used against commercial vessels.
- Operational characteristics and trends related to the employment of these systems, and the technical characteristics of LM.
- Considerations, including guidance for best practices.