Latest news with #ArmyAviationCenterofExcellence
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
'We're behind': US soldier leading a new 'catch-up' crash course says that the Army has to aggressively close the drone gap
The US Army's got a new three-week crash course on flying drones. It's an aggressive attempt to catch up on drone warfare, the director said. The Army has made drones a top capability in the coming years and is testing them heavily in the field. The US Army has a new crash course on drones. Right now, it's basic, fast, and aimed primarily at catching soldiers up on what they've been missing. It's an example of how the US military is embracing drones, navigating growing opportunities and threats. The inaugural Unmanned Advanced Lethality Course, launched by the Army Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker in Alabama, is a three-week class focused on building drone flight skills. Students use commercial off-the-shelf drones and simulation software to develop skills flying first-person view drones, according to a release. The course's director, Capt. Rachel Martin, built the program in just 90 days. "This course is a catch-up," she said. "We're behind globally, and this is our aggressive attempt to close that gap." There are currently 28 students, including infantry soldiers, cavalry scouts, and aviation personnel. As a pilot course, soldiers are primarily learning lessons from what Army units are currently struggling with in adopting drones. Flying FPV, or first-person view, drones is a major topic, as is manufacturing and repairing drones with 3D printing pieces. One of the course's objectives is to build a repository of printable parts that soldiers can take back to their units for further use. The learning curve, Martin said, has been substantial. "Most of my peers, including myself until 90 days ago, didn't know how to do this," she said. "Now we know what it takes, how many people, how much equipment, how much money, and we are sharing this information already with our partners out in the force." The class's future will expand into other topics, including one-way attacks using FPV drones, an area soldiers in Ukraine have been implementing for years. By February, the Army said, Martin expects students to be using low-cost drones for precision strikes. Drones have become increasingly prolific in Ukraine, with many quadcopters, octocopters, and more conducting surveillance flights and also bombing and strike missions. Millions of drones are supplementing more traditional weapons. Some experts caution against an overreliance on drones, but there is still a wide recognition that proficiency is important and that trained operators are force multipliers. Drone operators are high-value targets, and in Ukraine, research indicates, operator casualties are on the rise. There are lessons in that for the US Army. "We're creating operators who are not only lethal but also survivable," Martin said, explaining that "sUAS [small Uncrewed Aerial Systems] operators are the most sought-after high pay-off target on the battlefield right now." "I am very aware that my team has been entrusted with developing solutions for a critical need in emerging Army tactics," she said. The Army, much like the other US military service branches, has been openly grappling with the challenges of drone warfare and what it means for the force, which is still building experience in this space, with a lot of lessons still to be learned. Flooding units with drones and counter-drone systems is a top priority for US military leadership, and uncrewed systems have been deemed a necessary and vital capability to prepare for potential future conflict. There are growing investments in American drone tech, emerging drone and counter-drone schools, and field testing. In the Indo-Pacific, soldiers have been exploring how drones adapt to flying in hot, rainy climates. Training exercises, like a special operations forces drill simulating a conflict involving Taiwan, have evaluated scenarios where enemy drone swarms attack soldiers. Another exercise in Europe saw soldiers carry drones into simulated conflict and adapt when their system broke or encountered technical difficulties, like cut connections. Developing doctrine, tactics, and techniques is a work in progress, but a necessity for the Army considering the lessons from the Ukraine war, where both sides are continually advancing their drone capabilities in a real, fast-paced conflict. In Ukraine, drone operators have to contend daily with the headaches of electronic warfare and signal jamming. These have led to unjammable fiber-optic drones with hard connections between operators and their drones and AI-enabled systems, resulting in new challenges for defenders. The technological arms race is moving fast, and there's a lot Western militaries watching the conflict need to learn to ready for a future drone war. Read the original article on Business Insider Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
'We're behind': US soldier leading a new 'catch-up' crash course says that the Army has to aggressively close the drone gap
The US Army's got a new three-week crash course on flying drones. It's an aggressive attempt to catch up on drone warfare, the director said. The Army has made drones a top capability in the coming years and is testing them heavily in the field. The US Army has a new crash course on drones. Right now, it's basic, fast, and aimed primarily at catching soldiers up on what they've been missing. It's an example of how the US military is embracing drones, navigating growing opportunities and threats. The inaugural Unmanned Advanced Lethality Course, launched by the Army Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker in Alabama, is a three-week class focused on building drone flight skills. Students use commercial off-the-shelf drones and simulation software to develop skills flying first-person view drones, according to a release. The course's director, Capt. Rachel Martin, built the program in just 90 days. "This course is a catch-up," she said. "We're behind globally, and this is our aggressive attempt to close that gap." There are currently 28 students, including infantry soldiers, cavalry scouts, and aviation personnel. As a pilot course, soldiers are primarily learning lessons from what Army units are currently struggling with in adopting drones. Flying FPV, or first-person view, drones is a major topic, as is manufacturing and repairing drones with 3D printing pieces. One of the course's objectives is to build a repository of printable parts that soldiers can take back to their units for further use. The learning curve, Martin said, has been substantial. "Most of my peers, including myself until 90 days ago, didn't know how to do this," she said. "Now we know what it takes, how many people, how much equipment, how much money, and we are sharing this information already with our partners out in the force." The class's future will expand into other topics, including one-way attacks using FPV drones, an area soldiers in Ukraine have been implementing for years. By February, the Army said, Martin expects students to be using low-cost drones for precision strikes. Drones have become increasingly prolific in Ukraine, with many quadcopters, octocopters, and more conducting surveillance flights and also bombing and strike missions. Millions of drones are supplementing more traditional weapons. Some experts caution against an overreliance on drones, but there is still a wide recognition that proficiency is important and that trained operators are force multipliers. Drone operators are high-value targets, and in Ukraine, research indicates, operator casualties are on the rise. There are lessons in that for the US Army. "We're creating operators who are not only lethal but also survivable," Martin said, explaining that "sUAS [small Uncrewed Aerial Systems] operators are the most sought-after high pay-off target on the battlefield right now." "I am very aware that my team has been entrusted with developing solutions for a critical need in emerging Army tactics," she said. The Army, much like the other US military service branches, has been openly grappling with the challenges of drone warfare and what it means for the force, which is still building experience in this space, with a lot of lessons still to be learned. Flooding units with drones and counter-drone systems is a top priority for US military leadership, and uncrewed systems have been deemed a necessary and vital capability to prepare for potential future conflict. There are growing investments in American drone tech, emerging drone and counter-drone schools, and field testing. In the Indo-Pacific, soldiers have been exploring how drones adapt to flying in hot, rainy climates. Training exercises, like a special operations forces drill simulating a conflict involving Taiwan, have evaluated scenarios where enemy drone swarms attack soldiers. Another exercise in Europe saw soldiers carry drones into simulated conflict and adapt when their system broke or encountered technical difficulties, like cut connections. Developing doctrine, tactics, and techniques is a work in progress, but a necessity for the Army considering the lessons from the Ukraine war, where both sides are continually advancing their drone capabilities in a real, fast-paced conflict. In Ukraine, drone operators have to contend daily with the headaches of electronic warfare and signal jamming. These have led to unjammable fiber-optic drones with hard connections between operators and their drones and AI-enabled systems, resulting in new challenges for defenders. The technological arms race is moving fast, and there's a lot Western militaries watching the conflict need to learn to ready for a future drone war. Read the original article on Business Insider Solve the daily Crossword
Business Insider
a day ago
- Business Insider
'We're behind': US soldier leading catch-up crash course says the Army has to aggressively close the drone gap
The US Army has a new crash course on drones. Right now, it's basic, fast, and aimed primarily at catching soldiers up on what they've been missing. It's an example of how the US military is embracing drones, navigating growing opportunities and threats. The inaugural Unmanned Advanced Lethality Course, launched by the Army Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker in Alabama, is a three-week class focused on building drone flight skills. Students use commercial off-the-shelf drones and simulation software to develop skills flying first-person view drones, according to a release. The course's director, Capt. Rachel Martin, built the program in just 90 days. "This course is a catch-up," she said. "We're behind globally, and this is our aggressive attempt to close that gap." There are currently 28 students, including infantry soldiers, cavalry scouts, and aviation personnel. As a pilot course, soldiers are primarily learning lessons from what Army units are currently struggling with in adopting drones. Flying FPV, or first-person view, drones is a major topic, as is manufacturing and repairing drones with 3D printing pieces. One of the course's objectives is to build a repository of printable parts that soldiers can take back to their units for further use. The learning curve, Martin said, has been substantial. "Most of my peers, including myself until 90 days ago, didn't know how to do this," she said. "Now we know what it takes, how many people, how much equipment, how much money, and we are sharing this information already with our partners out in the force." The class's future will expand into other topics, including one-way attacks using FPV drones, an area soldiers in Ukraine have been implementing for years. By February, the Army said, Martin expects students to be using low-cost drones for precision strikes. Drones have become increasingly prolific in Ukraine, with many quadcopters, octocopters, and more conducting surveillance flights and also bombing and strike missions. Millions of drones are supplementing more traditional weapons. Some experts caution against an overreliance on drones, but there is still a wide recognition that proficiency is important and that trained operators are force multipliers. Drone operators are high-value targets, and in Ukraine, research indicates, operator casualties are on the rise. There are lessons in that for the US Army. "We're creating operators who are not only lethal but also survivable," Martin said, explaining that "sUAS [small Uncrewed Aerial Systems] operators are the most sought-after high pay-off target on the battlefield right now." "I am very aware that my team has been entrusted with developing solutions for a critical need in emerging Army tactics," she said. The Army, much like the other US military service branches, has been openly grappling with the challenges of drone warfare and what it means for the force, which is still building experience in this space, with a lot of lessons still to be learned. Flooding units with drones and counter-drone systems is a top priority for US military leadership, and uncrewed systems have been deemed a necessary and vital capability to prepare for potential future conflict. There are growing investments in American drone tech, emerging drone and counter-drone schools, and field testing. In the Indo-Pacific, soldiers have been exploring how drones adapt to flying in hot, rainy climates. Training exercises, like a special operations forces drill simulating a conflict involving Taiwan, have evaluated scenarios where enemy drone swarms attack soldiers. Another exercise in Europe saw soldiers carry drones into simulated conflict and adapt when their system broke or encountered technical difficulties, like cut connections. Developing doctrine, tactics, and techniques is a work in progress, but a necessity for the Army considering the lessons from the Ukraine war, where both sides are continually advancing their drone capabilities in a real, fast-paced conflict. In Ukraine, drone operators have to contend daily with the headaches of electronic warfare and signal jamming. These have led to unjammable fiber-optic drones with hard connections between operators and their drones and AI-enabled systems, resulting in new challenges for defenders. The technological arms race is moving fast, and there's a lot Western militaries watching the conflict need to learn to ready for a future drone war.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Army Apache crews who fired ‘first shots of Desert Storm' receive Distinguished Flying Crosses
Thirty-four years after the crews of eight Army Apache helicopters fired the first shots of Operation Desert Storm, the helicopter crews were awarded Distinguished Flying Crosses for the mission, the final step in three-decade effort by their former commander to see the crews recognized. Fifteen pilots and weapons operators were presented the awards Thursday by Army Maj. Gen. Clair Gill, the commander of the Army Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Novosel, Alabama, at an annual convention for Army flyers in Nashville, Tennessee, according to a Defense Department release. Known as Task Force Normandy, eight Army Apache helicopters launched from a Saudi air base toward the Iraq border in the early morning hours of Jan. 17, 1991 carrying Hellfire missiles. Led by four Air Force Pave Low helicopters that used terrain-following radar systems to keep the helicopters hidden, the Apache crews flew 90 miles into Iraqi territory to take out two of the country's early warning radar sites, opening the skies to a massive U.S.-led bombing campaign that quickly overwhelmed the Iraqi army. The crews originally received Air Medals with 'V device' for the mission, denoting valor for flying an aerial combat mission. But behind-the-scenes efforts by the battalion commander who led the mission, retired Gen. Richard 'Dick' Cody, paved the way for their award upgrades. Cody commanded the 1st Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, which the Apaches were assigned to. 'The eight crews of Task Force Normandy fired the first shots of Desert Storm leading to the destruction of the Iraqi radar and ground control sites and officially kickstarting the allied air campaign. Their outstanding dedication to mission accomplishment is in keeping with the finest traditions of the military, and reflects great credit upon themselves, the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), and the United States Army,' the award citation states. The crews flew over the desert skies 20 minutes before H-hour, the official planned commencement for the U.S. military's early air campaign of Operation Desert Storm. As the helicopters drew close to the targets, totally undetected, one of the pilots gave a 10-second warning: 'Party in ten,' called 1st Lt. Tom Drew, according to a 1991 account in Air Force Magazine. At around 2:30 a.m., the Apaches fired 27 Hellfire missiles, hundreds of rockets and thousands of 30-mm ammunition to knock out the Iraqi radars. As the U.S. military contemplated how it would evict the Iraqi army from Kuwait, it focused on how U.S. bombers could reach Baghdad and other key sites inside Iraq. Planners knew the eyes and ears of the Iraqi air defense had electronic warfare radars that showed information like enemy aircraft size, direction of attack, and speed axis. Their defense system also included medium- and long-range surface-to-air missiles and short-range anti-aircraft artillery pieces, according to a large-scale combat operation analysis by Col. Paul E. Berg and Kenneth E. Tilley, both Army colonels. 'We knew that if we didn't destroy the sites on time, the early warning sites would notify Baghdad and Saddam would know we were coming,' retired Air Force Col. Michael Kingsley, a lead 20th Special Operations Squadron pilot who flew one of the Pave Lows said at an event back in 2006. The original attack plan named 'Instant Thunder,' called for dropping Army special forces into the desert to destroy the radar sites on the ground. But planners instead opted for a mission that included MH-53J Pave Lows, embedded with GPS, as the navigators while Apache crews carried the weapons and soldiers for the attack. The crews were named Task Force Normandy after the site of the 101st Airborne Division's famous airborne operation on D-Day during World War II. Their 15-hour combat operation gave Navy and Air Force bombers a 20-mile-wide corridor for the ensuing air campaign at the start of Desert Storm. 'This is one of those truly significant moments for us, both as an Army and as an Aviation branch,' Gill said at the ceremony. 'We need to use these example setters as people we should recognize and honor and then replicate the commitment that they made on that night of January 17, 1991.' Army infantry officer calls new XM7 'unfit for use as a modern service rifle' Attempted Fort Leavenworth prison break leaves military inmate tangled on fence When Americans, Germans and POWs fought the SS from the walls of a castle This Army combat medic fought off an active shooter and rendered first aid This 53 aircraft 'elephant walk' has everything you'd need for a war in the Pacific
