- WIADOMOŚCI
The US is shutting down its drone unit in Europe
Photo. Sgt. Daniel Cole / Wikipedia
A US Army unit stationed in Europe, specialising in the use of drones in combat operations, has been ordered to return to its role as a traditional infantry battalion. Another reduction in the American presence?
In November 2025, 600 soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade formed a battalion intended to learn the use of drones in combat operations. Ultimately, it was meant to be a specialised unit that could be deployed to any location where unmanned aerial vehicles were required.
According to the Associated Press, soldiers experimented with drones, constructed them independently, and participated in exercises regarding the conduct of combat operations using these devices. A small number of soldiers from the battalion reportedly met with representatives of the Ukrainian army in Kyiv, according to the Wall Street Journal. Collaborations with Ukrainian drone operators were conducted at NATO training grounds.
On Thursday, the AP reported, citing American officials, that General Christopher LaNeve, currently serving as the acting US Army Chief of Staff, decided to restructure the battalion and focus on its core mission – operating as an airborne infantry unit. The drone unit will conclude its activities after participating in two exercises scheduled for August and September.
Another official assured that it had been intended from the start for the exercises to be the “culminating point” of the battalion’s activities. However, during the tenure of LaNeve’s predecessor, General Randy George (removed in April by Pete Hegseth), it was expected that the unit would continue its operations.
“The unit was tasked with researching and absorbing the experiences of specialised forces using unmanned systems, including systems developed by the Ukrainian armed forces, and relaying these findings to the Army to support the department’s efforts to accelerate American dominance in the field of military drones,” a statement from the Army reads.
The AP noted that the 173rd Airborne Brigade is stationed in Germany and Italy and had been involved with unmanned vehicles even before being transformed into a special battalion. Some experts are critical of the Americans’ decision. In their view, it may slow down efforts to achieve superiority in operations using unmanned systems. Drone technologies, meanwhile, have become a vital aspect of modern warfare.
