Hardware as with everything has limitations.
The only reason to use hardware is to gain an advantage over the opposing infantry. This doctrine goes back to the Roman legions.
Obunghole proved you cannot drone your way to victory. However, if you can kill a squad of men holding a village and put one of your squads in it you hold that ground. Modern warfare is no longer a game of attrition. It is a game of zones of control. It's the lesson that should have been learned in Viet Nam and applied to Afghanistan and late stages of Iraq.