Tactical Network-Centric Warfare in Practice: FPV Drones and the Architecture of a New RMA

The Ukraine War (2022–2025) has witnessed the unprecedented tactical proliferation of First Person View (FPV) drones - low-cost, rapidly adaptable platforms with precision-strike capabilities. This study investigates whether the integration of FPV drones constitutes a predictable military evolution or signals the unfolding of a new Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA). Employing a qualitative case study methodology, we analyze open-source data on drone usage, tactical adaptation, organizational change, and battlefield outcomes. Our findings show that FPV drones have extended the tactical reach of small units, compressed decision cycles through real-time ISR-to-strike loops, and triggered structural reforms - including the creation of new military branches and training ecosystems. Critically, their mass deployment has rendered traditional ground-based systems increasingly vulnerable, challenging established doctrines. The study introduces the concept of Tactical Network-Centric Warfare (T-NCW) to capture this transformation: a decentralized operational model enabled by FPV drones that merges precision, autonomy, and information dominance at the tactical level. These developments align with core RMA criteria and suggest a shift in the logic of land warfare. FPV drones thus function not as marginal tools, but as catalysts of systemic military change.