US Army unit deploys drone assembled completely in-house, uses 3D-printed 'Dragoon Bombs' with ball bearing shrapnel
U.S. Army soldiers are training to assemble drones and 3D-print bomb casings for field use.
The 2nd Cavalry Regiment, known as the Dragoons, stationed in Bavaria, Germany, has successfully deployed an attack drone that was entirely assembled and operated by the soldiers themselves. According to Stars and Stripes, the Orqa MRM2-10 drone utilized by the Dragoons was fitted with a safety and arming device and a 3D-printed casing, colloquially known as "Dragoon bombs."
These specialized explosives could be customized, such as incorporating ball bearings to target enemy personnel, or employing a shaped charge to neutralize light armor. A video demonstration of the drone in action is available in the article. General Bapp, the company commander, emphasized that this marks a significant Army first, potentially even an Army-wide first, for a live, kinetic drone strike conducted without any support from contractors or external units.
Colonel Price, the regiment commander, added that this success demonstrated the Dragoons' ability to adapt existing resources to meet emerging threats effectively. While large UAVs have been employed in combat by the U.S. military for many years, the application of small commercial drones for warfare gained significant attention following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The affordability and widespread availability of these devices allowed Ukraine to counter Russia's numerical superiority. Drones are now being utilized for both tactical and strategic missions in various conflicts, including those in the Middle East. The U.S. military's interest in drone warfare has led to the establishment of training programs, such as the Unmanned Advanced Lethality Course, which teaches soldiers 3D printing and drone piloting skills.
This initiative enables the U.S. Army to build and maintain these systems in-house. Additionally, the U.S. Marine Corps has developed a 3D-printed drone with no China-sourced components, while the U.S. Navy is implementing containerized drone fabrication capabilities on aircraft carriers.
Written by urgent.news from Tom's Hardware's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
