Türkiye TB-3 UAV is parked on the flight deck of the "Anadolu" light aircraft carrier. According to British media reports, as multiple countries around the world have completed or are carrying out drone carrier construction work, this emerging maritime combat platform is entering a rapid development stage and may become a key equipment to promote the transformation of maritime combat forces. Against the backdrop of rapid development in unmanned equipment technology, it has become common for modern ships to carry small unmanned aerial vehicles. Previously, these unmanned systems were mostly used as auxiliary equipment. In recent years, driven by technological breakthroughs, changes in combat requirements, and cost control, some national navies have begun to explore dedicated platforms with carrier based unmanned aerial vehicles as the core combat force. Especially the application of medium and large fixed wing unmanned aerial vehicles is leading the naval combat mode to shift towards unmanned direction. Currently, there are three main paths for the development of drone aircraft carriers. Based on the modification of large amphibious vessels or light aircraft carriers. Take Türkiye's "Anadolu" light aircraft carrier as an example. The aircraft carrier originally planned to carry US made F-35B fighters, but due to US sanctions, it turned to develop carrier based UAVs. Due to technological limitations, when it enters service in April 2023, the "Anadolu" will be equipped with AH-1W "Cobra", S-70 "Seahawk" helicopters, as well as TB-3 and "Red Apple" drones, still using a manned/unmanned cooperative combat mode. In November 2024, the TB-3 unmanned aerial vehicle completed takeoff and landing for the first time on the Anadolu, making it the world's first aircraft carrier platform specifically designed and put into use for drone operations. In the future, the Anka-3 drone will also undergo onboard testing to further enhance the combat capability of the Anadolu. Based on the renovation of large commercial vessels. In February of this year, the Iranian drone carrier Shahid Bagheri was delivered to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy. The aircraft carrier was converted from the "Peralin" container ship built by Hyundai Shipbuilding in South Korea in 2000. Iran completed the conversion in 2024, adding a 180 meter flight deck and a ski jump takeoff platform. It is reported that the aircraft carrier will carry multiple types of unmanned aerial vehicles such as JAS-313, Ababil-3, and Mohajer-6, and be equipped with unmanned surface vessels and unmanned underwater vehicles, with strong unmanned combat capabilities. In addition, some countries are promoting the construction of newly designed unmanned aircraft carriers. As early as 2007, BAE Systems in the UK proposed the design concept of a drone aircraft carrier. Some countries have completed the construction of new platforms. Drone aircraft carriers are favored by many countries mainly due to their significant advantages. In terms of development threshold, light aircraft carriers, helicopter destroyers, or large amphibious vessels all have the potential for modification. For example, Spain plans to transform its navy flagship, the Juan Carlos I aircraft carrier, into a drone carrier. As its EAV-8B Harrier fighter jet is set to retire by 2034, the Spanish Navy has begun testing the onboard capabilities of Airbus SIRTAP drones, with plans to replace traditional manned carrier based aircraft with drones. In terms of cost control, drone aircraft carriers have outstanding cost-effectiveness. In addition to the lower cost of platform renovation, it can also significantly save expenses in the procurement and use of carrier based aircraft. According to British media statistics, the purchase price of the F-35B fighter jet is approximately $101.3 million, with an hourly flight cost of $42000 and a total lifecycle cost of $269 million; The purchase price of the "Mojave" drone is about 32 million US dollars, with an hourly flight cost of 5000 US dollars and a total lifecycle cost of only 52 million US dollars. Moreover, the cost of training drone operators is much lower than that of carrier based pilots, further highlighting its economic advantages. In terms of combat effectiveness, the deterrent power of unmanned aerial vehicle carriers should not be underestimated. The Iranian drone aircraft carrier, with its large capacity fuel tank on the merchant ship base, has a maximum range of 22000 nautical miles, which is twice that of a medium-sized conventional powered aircraft carrier; Türkiye's "Anadolu" can carry 30 TB-3 UAVs, and a single one is equipped with 6 weapon racks. It has a strong ability to attack small targets; British Navy tests have shown that the "Mojave" drone, equipped with 16 "Hellfire" missiles, is more effective than the F-35B fighter jet in striking small targets such as unmanned ships at sea. However, the development of drone aircraft carriers still faces many challenges. From a technical perspective, its core is not a simple hull modification, but the construction of a complex maritime drone swarm combat system. The stable communication between carrier based unmanned aerial vehicles and the command system of the mother ship, reliable control in complex electromagnetic environments, and the dispatch and recovery of large-scale unmanned aerial vehicle fleets are still technical challenges that many navies urgently need to overcome. In terms of combat capability, compared to traditional manned carrier based aircraft, carrier based unmanned aerial vehicles have limitations in terms of size and payload, and their comprehensive performance is still insufficient in complex missions. As the main combat force, the improvement of the capabilities of carrier based unmanned aerial vehicles in core tasks such as air defense and anti-ship will directly determine the position of unmanned aircraft carriers in future naval battles. (New Society)