Given the widespread use of small and medium-size drones on the battlefield, and the systems needed to counter these unmanned aircraft, the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) is proposing the establishment of a Drone Corps as a new branch of the Army.
The Drone Corps would have responsibility for programs and activities, research, development, and testing, specialized training, strategies, capabilities, and as the command center for Army operations for Group 1, 3 and 3 unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), and for countering drones used by adversary forces, says draft language in the panel’s Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee that was posted on Monday.
Group 1 UAS have a maximum gross take-off weight up to 20 pounds, Group 2 between 21 and 55 pounds, and Group 3 less than 1,320 pounds. In the ongoing Russo-Ukraine War, both sides are using the smaller drones—which the HASC panel classifies as Groups 1 and 2—to conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), targeting, and battle damage assessment operations. Many of these smaller UAS are also being equipped with munitions to target armor and soft targets.
The Group 3 UAS, which HASC refers to as medium drones, are being used for longer-range missions, including precision strike operations with onboard munitions payloads.
Ukraine and Russia have had great success with the low-cost, small drones in keeping watch over the battlefield, making it difficult for armor and personnel to advance without suffering heavily from targeted artillery strikes.
Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.), chairman of the Tactical Air and Land Forces panel, at a hearing in early March suggested the Army consider a Drone Corps due to “the exponential growth of unmanned systems on the battlefield and the counter-unmanned systems that must be developed in tandem.”
The new corps would expand the horizon of capabilities with drones, he said.
“Unlocking the full potential of unmanned platforms for the Army will require soldiers to develop specialized skills and a deep understanding of various associated technologies,” Wittman said during a March 6 hearing. “A Drone Corps may better lend itself to allowing the broad array of expertise required to mature within the Army and for these systems’ unique capabilities to grow beyond their role primarily as enablers to the current combat arms branches.”
The Army currently manages counter-small UAS testing and evaluation activities for DoD through the Joint Counter-small UAS Office, which has provided recommendations that have led to system deployments, including in U.S. Central Command’s area of operations.