Churchill said the RAF during World War Two were the heroic “few”, but we may soon have a new clan of winged warriors to thank for our national survival.
This is because pigeons could soon go to war against terrorist drones as part of a bold national security initiative.
Defence chiefs are increasingly worried about the threat of drones – known by military leaders as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) – and think pigeons might hold the key to their defeat, the i reported.
The potential for these birds to be deployed on the frontlines is being investigated by an unnamed US company.
(Image: Getty Images)
It’s said they will be trained to fly straight at a murderous machine, neutralising an attack at the cost of their own lives.
This sounds more reasonable than it actually is.
The role of pigeons in world wars was crucial for their communication and they have long been considered viable bomb carrying options.
Although the results of training birds-of-prey to intercept drones has been mixed in recent years, defence chiefs have tried.
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
The ‘suicide pigeons’ plan shows just how worried military figures are about the coming threat of drone attacks.
A UK military official told the i: “Everyone saw the drone display at the opening ceremony for the Olympics.
“Now imagine those 2,000 or so drones not making pretty pictures but each armed with a smart munition and programmed to seek multiple, interlinked and changing targets – such as an infantry battalion, or even just a crowd.
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“And then imagine that you don’t even need multiple operators of those drones. They are autonomous and you just need to press a button to launch the equivalent of an entire air force.
“That is the sort of capability that is fast coming around the corner.”
An arms race among global powers is ongoing to develop the best anti-drone tech, with the ambitious US firm on the wacky side of a huge financial battle.
The answer to this question, and how high it will be found, will soon be known.