Ahead of an attack, a U.S. tank platoon approaches its assault position and establishes a coil. The platoon leader orders her loader to “deploy drone.” Without climbing out of his hatch, the loader turns on a handheld, small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) and places it on the turret in front of him. As the handheld controller syncs to the sUAS, he quickly launches the aircraft into the sky, and it loiters 100 feet above the platoon. The loader presses the joystick forward with ease and advances the sUAS towards the objective where it is believed three enemy tanks are established in battle positions, awaiting the attack. The platoon leader leans over the shoulder of the loader, watching as the sUAS disappears beyond the tree line a few kilometers forward and above the objective. The sUAS provides instant video feedback to the platoon leader, confirming the exact location of three tanks. The platoon leader excitedly keys the radio and says, “drone confirms enemy most dangerous course of action, change direction of attack, move to phase line red, platoon online, assault through the objective.” As the tanks begin to uncoil, the loader presses a single button on the controller, placing the sUAS in “follow mode.” As the platoon converges onto the objective, the sUAS follows along, recording the attack in real time.
The platoon successfully engages the enemy tanks and reaches their limit of advance. As the platoon consolidates and reorganizes, the loader guides the sUAS down from the sky and in a matter of minutes, the device is safely stowed and ready to be employed again in support of follow-on operations. Suddenly, a crackled voice comes over the radio “gas, gas, gas!” The platoon leader scans right and sees a plume of yellow smoke engulfing the bravo section tanks 75 meters away. Hovering above the section is an enemy sUAS that dropped a chemical munition overtop of the platoon. As the tank crews scramble to withdrawal out of the contaminated area, the enemy sUAS becomes more aggressive, moving quickly between the platoon’s tanks as if ready to drive itself directly into a tank. The sound of artillery is heard around the tank platoon, likely being observed by the fanatical enemy sUAS.
This is not an imaginary scenario, but an example of experimental sUAS tasks developed by instructors and executed by students of the Armor Basic Officer Leader Course’s (ABOLC) 2nd Squadron, 16th Cavalry Regiment, 199th Infantry Brigade, at Fort Moore, GA.
sUAS are shaping operational environments (OEs) across the globe. With the combination of blue list and commercial off the shelf solutions, the American Soldier, allies, partners, and adversaries alike, can employ sUAS, with simplicity, to fulfill a variety of ground combat roles. From sensor, observer, communicator, deceiver, to shooter, sUAS can be leveraged to provide both traditional and innovative solutions. As sUAS technology becomes increasingly simpler to operate and more cost effective to procure, it will likely become a weapon or capability as common and accessible as the rifle.
Based on observations from the Russian-Ukraine War, ABOLC incorporated several lessons learned on the employment of sUAS into all facets of the program of instruction (POI). ABOLC has gone so far as to update course lesson plans as part of its fiscal year 2025 POI review.
Lesson plan development
During the introductory phase of training, ABOLC students in Hawk Troop receive an sUAS orientation during land navigation and practice the dismounted react to unmanned aircraft system battle drill. During the tactics phase, Iron Horse Troop, requires all students to account for sUAS in all operations orders. In addition to sUAS, ABOLC leverages the Combined Arms Integration Division for cyber and electromagnetic activities and space expertise to ensure students gain knowledge and perspective on what it takes to fight and win in all domains. Based on the sUAS type, capability, and employment techniques, there is a potential convergent point across land, air, space, cyberspace, and electromagnetic domains that students must be prepared to encounter.
During preparation week ahead of the “10 Day War” (ABOLCs culminating training exercise for Armor lieutenants), instructors of Iron Horse Troop provide video and imagery taken via sUAS from operational environments (OEs) and from previous classes to teach camouflaging techniques for personnel and equipment. These lessons are reinforced throughout the field exercise, particularly during tactical assembly area operations. In addition to sUAS integration, students are taught skills to reduce their electromagnetic signature and account for other methods of communication in the event their tactical radios are jammed. Of note, students are not permitted to have access to cellular devices, GPS devices, or smart watches for the duration of training. With an increased use of sUAS and the reduction in the use of devices that omit electromagnetic signature, students are learning to balance the right capability and tools to achieve mission success while enabling survivability.
Student employment techniques
In addition to conducting the platoon react to unmanned aircraft system while mounted battle drill during the 10-Day War, students employ sUAS in the following ways to support mission execution:
- Instructors provide a traditional role of reconnaissance to confirm/deny enemy most probable and most dangerous courses of action while students are in the defense. Emphasis is placed on ensuring sUAS is in a direct support role to the platoon, whereas in past training environments, conflicts, or theaters of operation, it was more common for this asset to only be available at the company or above level. Students must communicate directly with the sUAS operator via tactical radio to provide clear priority intelligence requirements and reconnaissance tasks while the sUAS remains “on station.”
- Instructors riding with students in the loaders station of the tank, employ sUAS from the turret while the platoon is in the offense. This allows the attacking platoon leader to confirm opposing force plans on the move, observe and employ notional indirect fire as needed, and then retrieve the sUAS at the end of the attack.
- Students request the employment of smoke to provide obscuration during offensive operations. sUAS operators tether M83 white smoke training aids and activate prior to launching along a designated avenue of approach.
- Recorded video is used as part of the after-action review process to reinforce good and bad tactics or techniques.
- Soon, ABOLC will explore options to employ sUAS as a notional lethal munition against OPFOR. Additionally, ways to replicate counter sUAS with notional non-lethal effects for students are being considered.
OPFOR employment techniques
- Instructors use sUAS to find friendly positions, validate proper camouflaging techniques, and conduct disruption operations to force students to react to sUAS at the individual through platoon level.
- Instructors employ a pay load system to drop M18 yellow smoke training aids to replicate chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear attacks against stationary positions and moving formations.
- Instructors employ a pay load system to drop water ballons onto tanks to replicate the employment of lethal munitions.
Current capabilities, future requirements
Equipment on hand. Instructors currently employ at least four different types of manufactured sUAS models in support of ABOLC. Foreign made sUAS are configured to use modified handheld controls so that COTS equipment is not connected to U.S. Army networks or data systems to mitigate concerns of adversarial compromise, but it limits the ability to receive software upgrades provided by manufacturers.
Certified operators. There are currently seven sUAS certified instructors (and growing) within 2-16 Cavalry, and on average ABOLC logs 15 to 28 hours of flight time for about 11-13 days of training per class. The objective is to increase training and equipment on hand so that, at a minimum, there is a certified sUAS instructor and at least one sUAS on hand for each tank within a platoon (24 total instructors and systems to support the “10-Day War”).
Future requirements. As a future operational requirement, the U.S. Army should assess the feasibility of building redundancy in the employment of sUAS on mounted platforms (loader, vehicle commander, and gunner stations). In terms of simulated and live fire training, the U.S. Army should explore how to replicate sUAS threats during crew qualification and collective live fire tables (e.g., simulators like the Advanced Gunnery Training System, range targets, and multiple integrated laser engagement systems during situational training exercises).
Limitations and constraints
Air Space Management. ABOLC must open air space 30 minutes prior to employing a sUAS and inform Fort Moore Range Operations of “wheels up” and “wheels down” times and the number of sorties launched. On average, the approved altitude ceiling for sUAS is 500 to 1,000 feet. Although this limitation may be exclusive to training environments (Federal Aviation Administration owned airspace), the U.S. Army must approach the use of sUAS like the employment of a direct fire weapon system, rather than as an aircraft. This will provide ground force commanders more flexibility in its employment, particularly when operations may necessitate multiple sUAS performing a wide range of tasks all at once. Delegating management down to the ground level will also improve the development of direct fire control measures and allow leaders to account for surface danger zones if sUAS is used as a lethal munition.
Weather. High winds, rain and fog continue to have adverse effects on the employment of sUAS. The lighter the platform, the more challenging it can be to effectively employ systems which may cause damage to equipment or personnel. As with any capability, students learn to employ the right tool, for the right job, at the right time and may need to assume risk of loss, damage, or destruction of sUAS when employed in less-than-optimal conditions.
Training. It requires four days to certify instructors to employ sUAS at Fort Moore. With the simplification of new sUAS technology, training can and should be reduced to a single day. The U.S. Army should approach operator certification like that of the Integrated Weapons Training Strategy. Developing qualification tables with quantifiable metrics will ensure Soldiers are trained and proficient to employ sUAS to achieve a variety of tasks. The U.S. Army should re-look master sUAS requirements and empower training and usage to the lowest level to increase use and familiarization.
Procurement. The U.S. Army must keep pace with commercial sUAS technology to make systems cost effective and readily accessible. Currently, ABOLC, through a red tape cutting Maneuver of Center Excellence policy, is authorized to purchase COTS sUAS to support training. Access to industry has amplified innovation and the effects leveraged in training. The U.S. Army issued system, however, is cumbersome, expensive, and difficult to repair or replace, when damaged. It is also unable to provide a payload capability.
Sustainment. A consistent, dedicated sUAS budget to repair or replace systems, coupled with accessibility to a three-dimensional printer to fabricate parts will only increase flight hours and employment effects.
Conclusion
Employment of sUAS in training drives innovation, replicates emerging threats in the OE, and adds combat stress and complexity at low cost. The experimental sUAS tasks developed by ABOLC instructors ensure Armor lieutenants arrive to their first units of assignment better prepared to share their institutional level experiences with sUAS across the force, better integrate systems, capabilities, and account for the breadth and depth of their assigned areas of operation.
MAJ Matthew L. Simon is the chief of tactics, for ABOLC’s 2nd Squadron, 16th Cavalry Regiment, 199th Infantry Brigade. His previous assignments include battalion executive officer and S-3 for 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, CO; United Nations peacekeeper and corps-level planner, Mali, West Africa; deputy G-3 (operations), 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson; and squadron executive officer, 5th Squadron, 15th Cavalry Regiment, 194th Armor Brigade, Fort Moore. MAJ Simon’s military schools include the ABOLC, Fort Moore; Maneuver Captain’s Career Course, Fort Moore; U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS; Common Faculty Development Course; Scout Platoon Leader Course, Fort Moore; and the Cavalry Leader Course, Fort Moore. He has bachelor’s of arts degree in mass communications from Elizabethtown College and a masters in military art and science (MMAS) degree in general studies from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.
Acronym Quick-Scan
ABOLC – Armor Basic Officer Leader Course
OE – operational environment
POI – program of instruction
sUAS – small unmanned aerial system
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