Bipartisan outrage after Pentagon shuts down elite US Army drone unit training to fight like Ukraine

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers is demanding that the Army explain why it directed a unit based in Europe to stop specializing in drone warfare, an order coming at a time when global battlefields are rapidly evolving and military tactics rely increasingly on uncrewed systems.The 173rd Airborne Brigade was constructing its own uncrewed aerial platforms and practicing the exact style of combat that Ukraine pioneered against Russia and Iran has used against the U.S. — tactics that have killed and injured American service members. The brigade of 600 soldiers was formed in November to deploy wherever drone capabilities were needed."We have deep concerns that eliminating this specialized drone unit will limit our ability to learn from allies, particularly the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and hinder our efforts to modernize drone warfare at the speed necessary to compete on the modern battlefield," the lawmakers stated in a letter provided to The Associated Press.A Quantum Systems vector AI eVTOL fixed wing reconnaissance drone flies during the Saber Junction 26 combined military exercise at the U.S. Army Joint Multinational Readiness Center on August 26 (Getty)The document requests a briefing from the Army outlining its reasoning and was sent Tuesday to departing Army Secretary Dan Driscoll alongside Gen. Christopher LaNeve, the Army’s acting chief of staff. Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, independent Sen. Angus King of Maine, and Republican Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio endorsed the request."This specialized unit was a prudent response in a moment when the character of warfare is changing faster than a conventional formation’s ability to adapt," the lawmakers say.They expressed a particular desire to examine the analytical data, evaluations and process behind the policy shift after the drone unit had operated for under a year. They are also asking whether the action resulted from Pentagon leadership direction or was decided internally by the Army.Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (C) and his wife Jennifer Hegseth leave for recess during a US House Armed Services Committee hearing titled "Department of Defense FY2027 Budget Request," on Capitol Hill (AFP/Getty)LaNeve, serving temporarily as the Army’s top uniformed officer, recently instructed the battalion to refocus on its core responsibility as an airborne infantry unit. That direction came after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s sudden removal of the Army’s prior chief of staff, Gen. Randy George.Incorporating uncrewed aerial systems into Army doctrine stood as a central focus for George. Last year, he and Driscoll had introduced the Army Transformation Initiative, a program that pushed to integrate "modernized (unmanned aircraft systems) into formations."George, appointed Army chief of staff under President Joe Biden, frequently highlighted the imperative to speed up the creation of advanced drone platforms and distribute them to standard troops rather than restricting them to specialized units. Driscoll backed these measures, focusing on removing bureaucratic obstacles so military contractors can rapidly build more drone systems.Army’s prior chief of staff, Gen. Randy George, a Biden appointee frequently highlighted the imperative to speed up the creation of advanced drone platforms (AP)After Hegseth removed George without explanation in April, LaNeve replaced him. Driscoll submitted his resignation this week, though he did not publicly explain his departure. Driscoll was an ally of George, and reports of friction between him and Hegseth have circulated widely."We are supportive of the transformative initiatives the Army has taken under Secretary Driscoll’s leadership in this area and would like to see that momentum maintained even as uniformed leadership changes," the lawmakers wrote.