OP-ED: Weaponized Drones Are Reshaping Warfare. Why Aren’t Our Laws?

The following is an op-ed by Michigan state Rep. Will Bruck (R-District 30).

Earlier this year, elected officials in Michigan celebrated the Trump administration’s announcement that Selfridge Air National Guard Base would receive a fleet of brand-new F-15EX fighter jets. Yet in the weeks since, attacks involving Ukraine, Russia, Iran, and Israel have made clear that these advanced aircraft may be rendered obsolete—unless we take urgent action to confront the next, most potent threat in modern warfare: drones.

In June, Ukrainian forces drove a truck filled with inexpensive, plastic, battery-powered drones—each strapped with explosives—within miles of five Russian air force bases. They then launched the drones into the bases, destroying millions of dollars’ worth of aircraft and equipment. Among the losses were more than 40 irreplaceable nuclear-capable bombers, roughly one-third of Russia’s strategic fleet.

This is just one of many examples illustrating how drones have radically transformed the military technology landscape. Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) are small, discreet, and offer extraordinary capabilities for both surveillance and destruction. The drone arms race is heating up, and Michigan is directly in the crosshairs. Just last Thursday, our governor announced a sweeping executive directive to deregulate, subsidize, and streamline domestic drone production.

Despite these moves, the federal government’s response has lagged dangerously behind. If we hope to prevent tragedy, action must be immediate. The threat is real, and our vulnerabilities are vast.

Currently, the few limits on UAS are governed by the Federal Aviation Administration—whose regulations are woefully inadequate for the threat we face. Most states, including Michigan, lack statutes to govern drone distribution, possession, enforcement, or operation. Alarmingly, the vast majority of drones—including 85% of those used by law enforcement—are manufactured in adversarial nations by companies beholden to their regimes.

Both federal and state governments must treat this crisis with the urgency it demands. In Michigan, I’ve been working with fellow legislators to craft policies that address this issue head-on. Our proposals would limit procurement of foreign-produced drones, restrict drone flight near critical infrastructure, and empower law enforcement with the authority to deter and address malicious drone activity. States currently have little capacity to mitigate these threats—our own Air National Guard included.

Hostile powers, particularly China, carry out strategic subnational operations aimed at infiltrating and influencing state and local institutions. This demands a corresponding subnational response. While state actors like myself can lead the charge, homeland security remains fundamentally a federal responsibility. That’s where the bulk of the solution must come from.

President Trump’s recent executive orders signal welcome recognition of this danger. These measures place major Chinese drone manufacturers on the national security threat list, call for new regulations on their products, and prioritize domestic producers in operational approvals. Yet even these steps fall short of countering the immediate danger. Whether foreign or home-grown, weaponized drones pose catastrophic risks if we continue under-regulating their use.

I call on my colleagues—both in Lansing and Washington—to recognize this as the national security emergency it is. We cannot afford to be caught off guard. Russia’s losses should serve as a chilling example. Prior to 9/11, clear warning signs were ignored. We paid dearly for that failure. Let us not make the same mistake. The time to act is now—before reaction is our only option.

State Representative Will Bruck serves in the Michigan House of Representatives. A combat veteran of the U.S. Army, he retired as a Chief Warrant Officer after 31 years of service. He currently chairs the Michigan House Oversight Subcommittee on Homeland Security and Foreign Influence.