Deep in the Bavarian forest, black reconnaissance drones roared overhead, piloted by US forces hoping to practice lessons learned from the war in Ukraine.
Drones are changing the face of modern warfare, especially in Ukraine.
Both Moscow and Kiev use them not only for surveillance but also for armed attacks, making it difficult for combatants to hide.
“It’s a transparent battlefield. That’s why in Ukraine we see the forces that are consistently moving deep within the bunker,” said Brigadier General Steve Carpenter, who trained with the army at a base in Hohenfels in southern Bavaria. did.
“You stop, you die.”
Army Chief of Staff Randy George said the US military is changing as a result of what is seen in Ukraine and the way drone warfare is developing.
This means smaller unit footprints and more mobile, making it difficult to target targets.
During the campaign involving soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division’s 3rd Brigade, the Combat Headquarters changed positions four times over nine days.
It is possible that over 100 people were in the Command Post, typically far fewer people than in previous campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Of the lessons drawn from the Ukrainian War, “I think the most important thing is the speed we need to change,” George said.
With new technologies moving rapidly in Ukraine, the US military wants to speed up the procurement process.
There were tentative indications of this in Hohenfels.
The new transport truck was being tested just three months after the Army asked General Motors to reuse the civilian vehicle. This was “possibly a record time for the Army,” said Alex Miller, George’s science and technology advisor.
However, building a large drone could prove more difficult for the US.
Russian and Ukrainian troops often deploy cheap, ready-made Chinese drones.
However, the US does not want to have to resort to potential enemies for its supply amid growing tensions with Beijing.
Meanwhile, industrial bases in the US have been eroded over the past few decades.
According to the Department of Defense, the number of people employed in the domestic defense industry fell by 1.9 million (63.5%) in 2023 compared to the 1985 level.
“The American industry doesn’t have the capacity to produce drones like the Chinese,” said Colonel Dave Butler, George’s communications advisor.
And he believes there is only one in the United States who could potentially produce drones on a large scale during wartime.
Tesla makes far more components than other vehicle manufacturers, so the businessman is Elon Musk.
“If you suddenly flick on the switch and have to make 10,000 drones a month, only Elon can,” he said.
Musk, a billionaire entrepreneur, was a fixture for the American political scene, as President Donald Trump became one of his closest advisers.
For technology advisor Miller, the need is serious and the US can use help.
“We’re trying to encourage American industrial bases for things like flight controllers, cameras and antennas,” he said.
But he added that NATO allies must join, saying, “It must become Europe, not just us.”
VBW/SR/FZ
General Motors
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