How the US Army is learning from drone warfare in Ukraine

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been going on for four years now, and just as the Spanish Civil War was a testing ground for tactics eventually used in World War II, Russia’s invasion has served as a testing ground for how drones will play a role in potential future wars (that we hope never happen). The U.S. Army has already begun taking notes and implementing changes to its brigade structures.

The US Army’s 10th Mountain Division has been in nearly every military operation by the United States since World War II. It’s probably also one of the most recognizable units the US Army has, just behind the 101st and 82nd Airborne, because you know, parachutes. However, the 10th Mountain is one of the most deployed units in the Army, and with that, it’s testing out a new change that will take lessons learned from Ukraine, implementing drones to lead its brigades into battle.

The 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, also known as the “Patriots,” was tasked with testing out the new concept called the “Multi-Purpose Company.” Originally named the “Strike Company,” the company’s role is to operate ahead of the brigade, being the first point of contact for adversaries during large-scale combat operations.

The company is split up into three platoons and two smaller units: the scout platoon, a mortar platoon, a lethal unmanned systems platoon, an electronic warfare unit, and finally a fire support team. The four operate together to form the spear of a brigade’s advance.

With the drones at the lead, the scout platoon, equipped with snipers and Javelins, will know where its enemy is before it reaches them. It can then call in fire support from its mortar units behind them or from the brigade’s artillery regiment.

The Patriots have three key drones at their disposal to accomplish the goals for the MPC. First is the Anduril Ghost UAS, which can fly for over an hour with powerful payloads to spot and track combatants. Second is the PDW C100 surveillance drone, another UAS system that can offer powerful payloads for scouting purposes, which is the official use case by the US Army; however, the drone also offers a release system. This system can release anything from medical supplies to wounded soldiers or munitions destined for the enemy.

Finally, the MPC has access to Switchblade 600 loitering munitions, the US homebuilt kamikaze drones. Sharing the same warhead as the Javelin, it is well-suited and documented for destroying armored vehicles.

While this is a Biden Administration effort, it was implemented to create a more nimble and modernized fighting force, a similar objective to that of the Trump Administration. For now, the MPC will live on in the 3rd Brigade of the 10th Mountain Division as it continues to train for whatever mission the nation throws at them next.