Omanghana
The US Army has acquired enough small, one-way attack drones to equip units across the service, but it now faces the challenge of training sufficient numbers of soldiers to operate them effectively.
Col. Gregory Merkl, director of the Army’s Drone Dominance program, said during a media roundtable that the service had already fielded 10,000 drones under the first phase of its procurement initiative. An additional 30,000 systems are now being delivered.
According to Merkl, the number of drones acquired is sufficient to provide the technology to every platoon. However, the Army must significantly expand its training program before qualified drone operators can be deployed at the individual squad level.
The procurement drive follows a US Department of Defense directive requiring every squad to be equipped with small attack drones by the end of the 2026 fiscal year. While production and delivery have accelerated, the development of the personnel needed to operate, maintain and modify the systems has not progressed at the same pace.
The Army’s long-term strategy is to integrate drone capabilities into its existing formations instead of relying primarily on specialized units. This approach was highlighted by the decision to phase out the 173rd Airborne Brigade’s experimental Unmanned Assault Battalion.
Army officials explained that the battalion was always intended to be temporary and to help the service test new equipment, operational concepts and battlefield tactics. Lessons from the unit are expected to guide the deployment of drones across regular Army formations.
New guidance has also been introduced to give soldiers several months to familiarize themselves with newly issued drone systems before major combat exercises. The policy is intended to prevent situations in which troops receive unfamiliar equipment shortly before training operations, leaving them without adequate preparation.
Basic drone instruction is also being incorporated into initial entry and basic training, allowing recruits to develop familiarity with the technology at the beginning of their military careers.
The Army is simultaneously expanding training for its new 15X drone-focused military occupational specialty. The program is expected to produce between 2,000 and 3,000 dedicated drone operators and maintenance personnel, with available training facilities reportedly operating near capacity.
Military instructors have observed that soldiers with experience in video games, hobby drones and engineering often adapt quickly to drone operations. Those skills can also help personnel build, repair, modify and 3D-print components in battlefield conditions.
Future training will place greater emphasis on operating in electronically contested environments where communication and navigation signals may be disrupted. The Army is drawing heavily on lessons from the war in Ukraine, where extensive Russian electronic warfare and signal-jamming have forced Ukrainian drone operators to continuously adjust their equipment and tactics.
The rapid expansion reflects the increasingly important role of low-cost attack drones in modern warfare. However, Army leaders acknowledge that acquiring thousands of systems is only part of the process, as their effectiveness will ultimately depend on having enough trained soldiers to operate them under demanding combat conditions.
Source: Omanghana
