Kill webs and super swarms – building survivable CPs for decision superiority

John Antal breaks down how AI, drones, Electronic Warfare (EW), and ISR are transforming modern combat—moving from the old kill chain to the networked kill web. We unpack real-world lessons from Ukraine and Gaza, examine the future of armor vs precision fires & loitering munitions, and show how leaders can regain decision advantage with a clear Common Operating Picture (COP) and solid commander’s intent. If you care about the next decade of warfare—and what units can do right now—this is for you.

We discuss:

What the kill web is and why it outpaces linear kill chains

How precision fires, counter-battery, and C-UAS are changing the survivability equation

Where EW & jamming dominate—GPS denial, datalinks, and signature management

How SIGINT at scale (think phone/pager geolocation) drives rapid targeting cycles

Why ISR overload is a leadership problem—and how to fix it with priorities, CCIRs, and a living COP

Practical TTPs for unit-level drones: roles, tasking, and airspace/EM deconfliction

The timeless principles (from Austerlitz to today): tempo, initiative, and mission command

Why this matters: Sensors, shooters, and decision-makers are now fused by software. Speed to sense, decide, and strike wins. Units that build a resilient kill web—able to fight through jamming, spoofing, and attrition—gain disproportionate effects. We translate the buzzwords (AI, autonomy, multi-domain, JADC2-ish concepts) into what company- and battalion-level leaders can do today: shorten kill chains, reduce signature, distribute, deceive, and strike faster.

We look at AI vs the kill chain, precision fires & counter-battery, EW/jamming, Israel SIGINT case study, tanks vs drones & loitering munitions, ISR/COP/commander’s intent, Ukraine & Gaza lessons, unit-level drones TTPs, and leadership takeaways. (See time-stamped chapters below.)

Key takeaways:

Kill Web - Kill Chain: networked sensing/shooting beats linear command flows

EW is decisive: protect emissions, plan for denial, and practice “fight blind” reps

Armour survives by adaptation: smoke, speed, dispersion, decoys, and combined arms

C-UAS is layered: detect, deceive, defeat—no single silver bullet

ISR needs triage: COP + CCIRs + disciplined reporting beats feed deluge

Leaders set tempo: clear intent, empowered teams, rapid OODA loops

If you found this valuable, like, subscribe, and drop a question for our next PME episode. Share this with your team for professional development—then use the chapters to run a 30-minute leader professional training session.


#ai #drones #electronicwarfare #ISR #CUAS #killweb #killchain #precisionfires #armor #missioncommand #Ukraine #Gaza #militaryhistory #PME #commandersintent #commonoperatingpicture #jamming #SIGINT #loiteringmunitions #decisionadvantage #tempo #TTPs00:00 How AI Is Changing Combat Today
00:12 AI in Warfare: Kill Webs vs the Kill Chain
00:54 Precision Fires & the Kill Web in Action
01:28 Artillery in an AI Battlespace (PGMs, Counter-battery)
02:02 Electronic Warfare (EW) & Jamming — Owning the Spectrum
04:31 Israel SIGINT Case Study: Phone & Pager Tracking
07:09 Tanks vs Drones & Precision Fires — Can Armour Survive?
08:11 ISR Overload, COP & Commander’s Intent (What Leaders Need)
13:32 Ukraine & Gaza Lessons — AI, EW, ISR & C-UAS in Practice
22:46 Unit-Level Drones: Roles, TTPs & Tasking
25:06 From Austerlitz to Now — Decision Advantage & Tempo
29:29 Wrap-Up: Key Takeaways & How to Support the Show