Army to nix drone battalion set up to absorb lessons from Ukraine war
The decision to phase out the Army drone battalion comes amid tension between senior officers who envisioned the unit and the acting chief of staff of the Army.
The U.S. Army is set to disband a drone battalion, despite its role in studying lessons from the ongoing Ukraine war, according to an Army official. The decision comes following tensions between the unit's proponents, former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George and Gen. Christopher Donahue, and Gen. Christopher LaNeve, the acting Army chief of staff.
LaNeve, who rose to his position following the firings or retirements of George and Donahue, is spearheading the disbandment. The Unmanned Assault Battalion, responsible for drone warfare training, will transition back to its original role as an airborne infantry battalion, focusing on parachuting and drop operations. This unit, part of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, was set to participate in a September exercise to share its wartime knowledge with the Army. The Wall Street Journal first reported the disbandment plans.
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