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Army Teams Operationalize Warfighting Systems in Western Corridor Experiment

Sunday, December 14th, 2025

As modern battlefields rapidly evolve, the Army remains at the forefront of capability acceleration and innovation. Through exposure to realistic, emulated threat in the Western corridor, the Army’s All-domain Persistent Experiment (APEX) accelerates technical innovation and enhances Soldier lethality in the most threat-informed, live-sky environment available.

This fall, teams across the Army, Joint Force, industry, allied nations, and academia converged on White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), New Mexico, to assess, develop and reassess technology. The goal: outpace the threat.

“Today’s Warfighters must execute operations across the electromagnetic spectrum in the most contested Degraded, Denied, Intermittent, and Low-bandwidth (DDIL) environment the Army has ever seen,” said Maj. Gen. Patrick Gaydon, commander of the Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC). “We must be able to test, experiment, and train to fight in the same environment.”

“Integrating iterative testing, operationally realistic experimentation, Soldier feedback, and emerging technology assessments in support of the Campaign of Learning is vital to ensuring that learning is captured early and often to shape requirements, acquisition strategies, and fielding decisions. We currently have the capability to replicate the DDIL environment at several of our test and training ranges.”

Opening the aperture across a broader swath of the electromagnetic spectrum, APEX provided the DDIL environment needed to test integrated systems that operate in various regions of the spectrum and truly understand their capabilities in a realistic environment. Utilizing the conditions at WSMR, the All-Domain Sensing Cross-Functional Team (ADS CFT) built upon six years of success from the experiment’s previous iterations as the Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) Assessment Experiment (PNTAX).

“This is the most challenging experiment our organization has completed to date,” said Col. Pat Moffett, deputy director of the ADS CFT. “It was an opportunity to learn– bringing together those who are actively championing the Army’s priorities – and putting capability to the test in one of the harshest environments available. Persistent experimentation of this caliber is one way we maintain momentum and lethality.

This pivot generated valuable insights to help Army leaders knit together warfighting systems that support integrating broader future concepts. Together, participants conducted experiments that accelerate investment in the Army’s top priorities, including command and control, integrated fires, and all-arms maneuver.

Integrated, real-time C2

As the Army gains momentum with Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) prototyping and experimentation, teams at APEX informed Army requirement development for one critical piece of the puzzle: sensor data.

In increasingly convoluted and denied information environments, access to the right data at the right time and the right classification is paramount. The Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) Center Dynamic project, designed to enable automated tipping and cross-cueing for accelerated kill chains, utilized a sensor framework to integrate Army, Joint Service, national, and coalition partner capabilities, enabling accelerated, automated effects.

To validate sensing system interoperability during APEX, the Dynamic project utilized the Joint Interface Control Document – Common Services (JICD CS) framework and Integrated Sensing Architecture (ISA) developed by the Capability Program Executive for Intelligence Electronic Warfare and Sensors’ (CPE IEW&S). These efforts successfully demonstrated the ability to integrate, process and disseminate multi-sensor data to the appropriate decision maker for action, while operating in a DDIL environment.

“The ability for ISA and our interface to JICD to be able to participate in APEX was invaluable,” said Christine Moulton, CPE IEW&S Strategic Integration Director for the Integration Directorate. “The data we collected at the time needed to integrate new sensors using the API provided great insight as we continue to improve the program.”

Live fires across domains

Commanders should not be limited in their effects on the battlefield. At APEX, experimentation efforts blended kinetic and nonkinetic effects, using mature situational awareness capabilities to speed the commander decision process.

Using Plexus, a system designed to arm commanders with informed decision-making abilities, the C5ISR Center and Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments and Ammunition (JPEO AA) validated situational awareness information, directing the best shooter for the best effect. This integrated, automated approach demonstrated the lethality of cross-domain fires and an enhanced understanding of the environment.

“The Plexus systems-of-systems approach demonstrates cohesive communication across mission command systems and improves the precision and reliability of artillery strikes,” said Kevin O’Hanlon, C5ISR Center PNT Chief.

The right combination of synchronized effects gives friendly forces the tactical advantage, ultimately enabling the commander’s operational plan. The test bed for kinetic and nonkinetic effects formulated by the environment at APEX enhances the effectiveness of cross-domain fires.

All-arms maneuver

Additionally, APEX boasted multiple scenarios featuring Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and counter-UAS activities within a DDIL environment. These efforts are critical to validate platform operational relevance.

Given this experiment’s expansion to encompass more than navigation technologies, all-arms maneuver remains a critical part of the modern warfighting strategy. This year, the DDIL environment challenged ground and unmanned air platforms, ensuring the next generation of capabilities can operate through all electromagnetic conditions.

Way ahead

Persistent experimentation is critical to Army transformation, allowing for deliberate learning, training, and warfighting system interoperability. Coupled with Soldier feedback and training in realistic, threat informed operational environments, live-sky experiments are poised to advance broader transformation priorities through nested learning demands.

Experiments in denied, spectrum-degraded environments help the Army close the gap between today’s efforts and tomorrow’s warfare, evaluating capability readiness and adaptability.

The ADS CFT will transition into the Future Capability Directorate (FCD) construct under the Futures and Concepts Command (FCC) as the Transformation and Training Command (T2COM) gains full operational capability.

To maintain experimentation momentum, the next iteration of this experiment is called the DDIL Integrated Environment Supporting Experimentation and Learning, or DIESEL. It will align with the Army’s Concept-Focused Warfighting Experiments and support the command’s goal of turning war-fighting concepts into war-winning capabilities.

By Madeline Winkler

Posted in Army, C5ISR, Guest Post, Sensors | No Comments »

Secretary of the Army Visits the Army’s Center of Excellence for Guns and Ammunition

Sunday, December 14th, 2025

PICATINNY ARSENAL, NJ — Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Deputy Under Secretary of the Army David Fitzgerald, and U.S. Representative Thomas Kean Jr. visited Picatinny Arsenal on November 6 to see first-hand the innovative work being by the Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments and Ammunition (JPEO A&A), U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center, and Office of the Project Manager Soldier Lethality as they strengthen the Arsenal of Freedom by increasing industrial capacity and bringing advanced technologies and improved lethality to the Warfighter. The visit was Driscoll’s first to Picatinny, which is designated as the Department of War’s Joint Center of Excellence for Guns and Ammunition.

The visit began with a hands-on demonstration of the lethality of the 6.8mm ammunition for the M7 Next Gen Squad Weapon. The rounds will be produced at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant outside St. Louis in an interim capacity until completion of a new, state-of-the-art facility that is currently under construction. Sig Sauer is also producing the new rounds as a second source in Jacksonville, Arkansas. DEVCOM and JPEO engineers explained to Secretary Driscoll the various 6.8mm technical innovations and the new ammunition’s performance specs as compared to currently fielded 5.56mm and 7.62mm capabilities.

Developed collaboratively by the JPEO A&A, the DEVCOM Armaments Center, the Army Research Laboratory, the 6.8mm family of ammunition is specifically engineered to maximize the performance of the M7 Rifle and the M250 Automatic Rifle. When fired through these Next Generation Squad Weapons, 6.8mm rounds deliver increased range, improved accuracy, and enhanced lethality, ensuring Soldiers maintain overmatch on the battlefield.

Driscoll attended a working lunch where Maj. Gen. John T. Reim, Joint Program Executive Officer for Armaments & Ammunition and Picatinny’s Commanding General, and other senior leaders highlighted the diverse capabilities and critical missions of the major commands and tenant organizations at the installation, underscoring Picatinny’s enduring role in supporting joint force operations and sustaining combat power.

“I have had the privilege of doing nine ribbon-cutting ceremonies here in the past two years,” Reim said. “We are bringing new capabilities online. We are replacing legacy production methods and working closely with industry partners to develop modular, flexible production capabilities that can support a surge while maintaining efficiencies during downtimes.”

The visit continued with a bang as Driscoll witnessed a live fire exercise featuring the Purpose Built Attritable System (PBAS) and a TRV-150 drone dropping smoke and a M69 training grenade onto a target simulating a small group of enemy soldiers with a vehicle. This showed off one of DEVCOM’s latest innovations, the Picatinny Common Lethality Integration Kit or Picatinny CLIK, which defines the physical interface (mechanical attachment), electrical interface (power, network, messaging) and safety critical architecture between the ground station control and an unmanned aerial system (UAS) with lethal payloads, eliminating unique integration methods and costly acquisition conditions created by “vendor lock.”

“This ensures a rigorous, yet flexible, process for evaluating, qualifying, procuring, and ultimately fielding safe and effective weaponized UAS payloads to the joint force,” said acting Executive Director of the Armaments Center’s Weapons and Software Engineering Center, Bhavanjot Singh. “When we solicit industry for a capability, we will be providing Picatinny CLIK technical data so industry can focus on providing lethal capabilities without worrying nearly as much about integration.”

Following the live fire demonstration, Driscoll was shown more of the unique capabilities developed at Picatinny Arsenal by the DEVCOM Armaments Center and the Project Manager offices under JPEO A&A covering lethal UAS, counter-UAS munitions, advanced artillery, and next-gen energetics.

One highlighted counter-UAS capability was the airburst proximity fuze technology that was initially fielded in 30mm XM1211 High Explosive Proximity (HEP) for M-LIDS, providing the first medium caliber counter-UAS capability to theater. Leveraging the capability, the proximity fuze technology was scaled down to a 25mm form factor for the XM1228 Bradley Aerial Defeat Ground Enhanced Round (BADGER). BADGER provides organic C-UAS capabilities to the M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle with no additional vehicle or weapon modification required.

“BADGER is a great example of how the Army’s acquisition enterprise is moving toward quicker returns by leveraging new ways of doing business, quickly innovating at the round, and leveraging existing weapons platforms to enhance the lethality of our Warfighters,” said Reim.

Another counter-UAS capability developed at Picatinny Arsenal and presented to Driscoll was the next generation Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS). The implementation of a C-UAS capability for platforms with current or future CROWS allows for leveraging of existing 30mm and 40mm weapon systems and proximity-fuze ammunition, providing a low-cost kinetic C-UAS solution across multiple platforms.

Artillery innovations as part of the Army’s Long Range Prevision Fires line of effort are another critical capability area at Picatinny that was presented to Driscoll.

The M982 Excalibur is a 155mm Global Positioning System (GPS) guided precision cannon artillery munition compatible with 39-caliber, 52-caliber and 58-caliber artillery systems with reach distances of up to 40 kilometers, 50 kilometers and 70 kilometers, respectively. Excalibur was co-developed by Raytheon and BAE Systems Bofors and is currently in production to deliver projectiles to the US Army. The projectile is being evaluated for system upgrades to improve performance in GPS-jammed environments leveraging lessons learned and telemetry data from Ukraine.

The Extended Range Artillery Projectile (ERAP), also known as the XM1155 program, is a cutting-edge system of systems designed to deliver unprecedented lethality and range overmatch for 155mm artillery weapon systems. With ranges exceeding more than double those of legacy artillery cannons, the ERAP will be compatible with both current and future Army mobile howitzer systems. The ERAP program is being executed through the innovative Middle Tier of Acquisition pathway, which leverages both traditional and non-traditional suppliers. This approach fosters competition among industry partners and accelerates the prototyping of mature technologies, ensuring that hardware is delivered to Soldiers faster and more effectively.

The Modular Artillery for Combat Effectiveness (MACE) program was discussed, which is an effort to focus on making conventional artillery more manufacturable and modular. Enhanced manufacturability will reduce dependency on niche, government only production processes and leverage commercial production capabilities and capacity.

Following the tours and demonstrations, Driscoll presented coins to the various organizations.

The Secretary of the Army’s visit to Picatinny underscored the installation’s vital role in sustaining the force and arming the Army of the future. As the Army continues to modernize and adapt to evolving global demands, the various commands at Picatinny Arsenal remain a pillar of readiness – delivering the capabilities, expertise, and innovation that ensures our Warfighters and allies are equipped to succeed in any environment.

By Michael Chambers

Posted in Ammo, Army, Guest Post, weapons | 1 Comment »

US Army Expands Program that Transforms How Soldiers Prepare for Combat

Saturday, December 13th, 2025

Warfighting is at the forefront of everything we do in the Army, and over the past five years, the culture of human performance has evolved to ensure that Soldiers are prepared to fight and win our nation’s wars.

Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) has transformed the way soldiers train for future battles. It has shifted away from a one-size-fits-all model for human performance to a more individualized approach, tailored to preparing Soldiers to win on the modern battlefield and return home healthy. This revolutionary shift is supported by teams of subject matter experts, embedded within the Brigade footprint, that work directly for the Brigade Commander to meet the specific units’ Mission Essential Task List (METL).

“In a fiscally restrained time, leaders within the Department of War recognize the direct, proven, and significant impact our H2F teams have on our Soldiers’ warfighting ability and as a result have excluded the H2F civilian professionals from the civilian hiring freeze, supported rapidly expansion of the program, and the procurement of the first human performance optimization platform across the Department”, said Lt. Gen. David Francis, Commander, U.S. Army Center for Initial Military Training, the Army’s proponent for H2F. “The H2F System has the full support and backing of both the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Army as we have worked directly to inform them on the positive return on investment data that our H2F teams are having on our warfighting abilities”.

Initially planned and resourced for 111 Active Duty Brigades, Army Senior Leaders announced after reviewing the initial Return on Investment (ROI) data that H2F Performance Teams (HPTs) would be resourced to every unit across the Army.

ROI data indicates that, although it comes with an initial heavy price tag, H2F is paying for itself year over year by getting our warfighters back into the fight, both fitter and faster. Data currently being peer-reviewed indicates that for every dollar spent on H2F, $8.15 in cost avoidance and readiness gains are realized. The United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM) also conducted independent research, consisting of over 30 million Soldier observations from Fiscal Year 2019-2024, and found that if H2F HPTs were rolled out Army-wide, it would have added 1,080 deployable Soldiers to the fighting force. These 1,080 Soldiers equate to adding over ten company sized elements of combat power back into the fight.

“The Army is rapidly transforming to ensure our Soldiers are prepared to fight and win our nation’s wars”, said Col. John “Jay” Morgan, H2F Director. “Through the H2F HPTs, across our Army, we are equipping our warfighters with human performance subject matter experts who ensure, when called, our Soldiers are prepared to fight, win, and dominate on the modern battlefield”.

By Fiscal Year 2029, the Army will have fielded 129 Active-Duty Brigades, four states throughout the Army National Guard, and two Army Reserve Commands will be equipped with HPTs. A key distinction between how the Active Duty and Reserve Component HPTs will operate, due to their distinct differences, is the level of support they will provide. Reserve Component HPTs will work directly for their Adjutant General or major Army Reserve Command, rather than a Brigade Commander, to meet their units’ METL and resolve unique challenges these Soldiers face, balancing their civilian and military careers that Active-Duty units do not face. To support geo-dispersed and smaller Brigade sized elements 59 H2F Area Support Teams (H2FAST) will be fielded and directly work for their Installation Senior Mission Commander.

“H2F is a Commanders program, Commanders need to know these HPTs work for them”, said Gen. James Mingus, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army. “These HPTs are filled with subject matter experts who treat our warfighters like professional athletes. Having this level of expertise within these teams, like what Division 1 schools have, helps the Command team best prepare Soldiers for combat”.

Throughout the rapid expansion process, the Army has navigated a challenging hiring environment. The Secretary of War, Honorable Pete Hegseth, exempted all H2F positions from the civilian hiring freeze to ensure only the best and brightest physical and occupational therapists and registered dietitians were on board our HPTs. Further, in September of this year, based on strong positive feedback from commanders, the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army approved a change to the composition of the H2F Performance Teams (HPT) and H2F Area Support Teams (H2FAST) to include 4 Athletic Trainers (AT) per team through FY29.

To streamline the expansion of H2F expertise across the force, the Army has collaborated directly with the Department of War to develop the requirements for fielding the first human performance optimization platform across the Department. This software solution, designed for the Army, is called the H2F Management System (H2FMS) and serves as the software backbone of the H2F System, providing Soldiers, leaders, and HPT staff with data-driven insights that are typically only found within Special Operations or professional athletics.

“H2FMS will empower HPTs across the Total Army to effectively measure, analyze, and improve Soldier performance and overall combat readiness”, said Lt. Col. Chance Smith, Operations Research and Systems Analyst, U.S. Army Center for Initial Military Training. “Our partners at Program Executive Office- Soldier have provided valuable insights into building out requirements, streamlining the procurement process, and ensuring that H2FMS is designed to impact the warfighter positively”.

Soldier Performance Readiness Centers, or SPRCs, are the home to H2F human performance teams that deliver comprehensive, immersive, and integrative training experiences for soldiers. In partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Installation Management Command (IMCOM), and the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment (IE&E) Army Senior Leaders approved plans to improve 67 facilities this fiscal year and to complete four designs for SPRC Experiment (SPRC-X), which utilize unconventional construction where new construction is needed.

Paramount to the Army’s investments across the H2F System in people, facilties, data management, and equipment is the buy-in from operational non-commissioned officers (NCOs) who have an enduring and foundational role in unit training. The Army recently concluded the first pilot of the new Skills Qualification Identifier (SQI) for the H2F Advisor. This SQI, only eligible for NCOs, is the Army’s latest investment in empowering the NCO Corps to serve as the “Master Gunner” for human performance on a Brigade or Battalion staff.

“The H2F Advisor SQI empowers the NCO Corps to directly advise Commanders on the ways best to incorporate human performance-oriented, battle-focused training into their units’ long-term training calendar”, said Sgt. Maj. Jeremiah Richards, H2F Senior Enlisted Advisor. “H2F Advisors serve as the bridge between the HPTs and the H2F Integrators below the Brigade level to synchronize H2F implementation throughout”.

As the Army expands H2F across the force, it has also expanded its scope of responsibilities to include functional proponency for the Pregnancy and Postpartum Performance Training (P3T) program. Formerly known as Pregnancy and Postpartum Physical Training, the P3T team is rapidly reviewing and revising educational content and training P3T leaders to implement effective physical training and education to support perinatal Soldiers return to the operational force fitter. By incorporating the most current evidence across the five domains of readiness, the revised P3T program is seeing similar ROI as the H2F System.

In a recent U.S. Army Center for Initial Military Training questionnaire, 75% of respondents indicated that participating in a unit-run P3T course improved their Army Fitness Test (AFT) score. Preliminary data demonstrates that soldiers who participated in P3T saw an average increase of 50 points in AFT scores before returning to their units.

“Roughly 10,000 Soldiers across the total Army give birth to a child every year”, said Maj. Stephanie Meno, H2F Nutrition and P3T lead. “The most profound shift in the P3T program is the inclusion of all give domains of H2F, pelvic-health education, and the most current evidence for maintaining optimal health and fitness in a perinatal population. Soldiers who participate in P3T throughout pregnancy and postpartum are returning to their formations fitter, faster, and stronger than before becoming pregnant”.

H2F will be hosting their annual Symposium, from 13-14 May, where the Directorate announces ROI metrics for the currently fielded H2F teams, have Army Senior Leaders speak on the program, and highlight the best HPTs across the Total Army.

By Hunter Rhoades, U.S. Army Center for Initial Military Training

Posted in Army, Guest Post, Human Performance | No Comments »

US Army: C3 AI Selected to Deliver AI Contested Logistics Solution for Combat Operations

Friday, December 12th, 2025

Delivering intuitive, AI contested logistics using agentic and generative AI to enhance Army readiness and decision speed

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — December 9, 2025 — C3 AI (NYSE: AI), the Enterprise AI application software company, announced today that the U.S. Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) selected C3 AI to advance AI-driven logistics for Army formations operating in contested environments, improving forecasts for parts, fuel, and munitions to enhance combat readiness.

“The future of defense logistics is real-time, data-driven, and AI-enabled,” said Stephen Ehikian, CEO, C3 AI. “This award reflects the U.S. Army’s focus on operational speed and technological advantage — and C3 AI’s ability to deliver enterprise-scale AI systems that meet that mission. This work underscores the critical role AI will play in strengthening national defense infrastructure.”

C3 AI’s application will be integrated into the Brigade’s Command & Control network, supporting the re-supply and distribution of supplies in contested environments to forward-deployed units while mitigating risks and maintaining operational tempo. The application is designed to strengthen combat readiness and streamline logistics in high-risk, dynamic environments.

RCCTO drives innovation across the Army, rapidly delivering next-generation technologies to close capability gaps and enhance battlefield readiness.

Leveraging components of C3 AI Contested Logistics and C3 AI Readiness applications — currently operational at the Defense Logistics Agency and U.S. Air Force — the RCCTO will predict critical repair part shortfalls, forecast fuel consumption, and project munition requirements.

Posted in Army, Contracts, Logistics, Press Release | No Comments »

Registration Now Open for 2026 US Army Small Arms Championships

Friday, December 12th, 2025

Registration for the 2026 U.S. Army Small Arms Championships is now open. The week-long, live-fire training event tests Soldiers’ skills in rifle, pistol and multigun courses of fire. There are also opportunities for Excellence in Competition points to be earned in both rifle and pistol.

This event is only open to Active Army, Army Reseves, US Army or Air National Guard, Military Academy, College ROTC Cadets and OCS Candidates. Civilians and military personnel from other services are prohibited from participating in any event.

Posted in Army, Profession of Arms, weapons | No Comments »

101st Airborne Division Takes Flight with 3D Printed Drones

Friday, December 12th, 2025

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky – Turning another page in the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) journey within the Army’s transformation and its emerging technologies, the Division now has plans underway to revolutionize military drone creation in preparation for their upcoming division training exercise – Operation Lethal Eagle.

The Division began 3D manufacturing of small-unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) at the EagleWerx Applied Tactical Innovation Center at Fort Campbell, Ky.

“This is bigger than simply printing parts. We are reshaping the sUAS enterprise at the tactical level,” said Col. (Promotable) Travis McIntosh, deputy commanding officer for support of the 101st ABN DIV. He said the project will impact the entire unit as it would affect “how we do small UAS in the division, from air worthiness to parts ordering, to fielding and training.”

The plan to build the systems at Fort Campbell came as a cooperative effort from the Division and 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne). Soldiers asked for sUAS that were more versatile, durable, and expendable than the standard previously fielded versions. For experimentation during the exercise, the Division and EagleWerx representatives are manufacturing 100 sUAS units and purchasing the ground control consoles, at a fraction of the cost of previously acquired sUAS’s.

Operation Lethal Eagle, a 21-day rigorous training exercise, is designed to prototype Army initiatives, train unit lethality, and build mastery of large-scale, long-range air assault (L2A2) capabilities throughout the Division.

Many on the project including Capt. Andrew Blomquist, the 2nd Mobile Brigade Combat Team innovation officer, are excited for the 3D printed drones to get into the hands of the end-users permanently.

“We have done multiple Soldier touch points, demos, and flight tests so luckily, we have already received great end user feedback”, said Blomquist. “One Soldier in particular that has experience with all of the previously fielded sUAS was surprised with its performance.”

The Division’s revolutionary experiment will continue in anticipation of its next major training event, in late spring at the Joint Readiness Training Center, at Fort Johnson, Louisiana.

To learn more about Eaglewerx Applied Tactical Innovation Center, visit home.army.mil/campbell/eaglewerx.

Story by Capt. Andrew Lightsey IV and Photos by Staff Sgt. Kaden Pitt

101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)

Posted in Additive Manufacturing, Army, Drone, Guest Post | No Comments »

Making PSYOP Great Again – Hegseth Reinstates Name, Dumps MISO

Thursday, December 11th, 2025

Last week Secretary of War Pete Hegseth restored the use of Psychological Operations(PSYOP) to describe planned operations that convey selected information and indicators to foreign audiences in an effort to influence the emotions, motives, objective reasoning, and ultimately the behavior of foreign governments, organizations, groups, and individuals in a manner favorable toward DoW objectives.

This corrected policy decision in 2010 to replace the use of PSYOP which dates to the dawn of the Cold War with Military Information Support Operations (MlSO). The term MISO also caused a great deal of confusion within the military. PSYOP is pretty obvious, MISO not so much. Fortunately, the fog has been lifted.

The implementation memo goes on to say, “with fifteen years of additional perspective, it has become clear that the term PSYOP more closely align functions with branding, eliminates confusion, and directly supports my priorities to reestablish deterrence and revive the warrior ethos.

Dues to the vast amount of doctrinal and funding issues at play, full implementation across the department is not expected until the end of FY 2026.

Posted in Army, IO | No Comments »

Army Drone Team Advances Tactics at Drone Crucible Competition

Wednesday, December 10th, 2025

FORT RUCKER, Ala. – The Army Drone Team competed in the National Drone Association’s Drone Crucible Competition Dec. 4-6, joining some of the military’s top drone operators and industry experts in a series of combat-focused challenges.

The event, held at Camp Blanding, Fla., brought together teams with their own unmanned aircraft systems to test and refine squad-level drone capabilities. Scenarios included close-quarter breaching and room clearing, strikes against moving enemy convoys and aerial targets, long-range engagements on critical assets, and integrated missions against multiple targets and counter-drone systems.

Capt. Jacob Bickus, officer in charge of the Army Drone Team stationed with the 1-145th Aviation Regiment, US Army Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker, said the competition was only the third event for the newly formed unit since its launch in September. Over the three-day event, the team, comprised of top drone operators and specialists from across the Army, showed they belong among the military’s leading drone experts in both technical and tactical drone employment.

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Scott Carpenter, an unmanned aircraft system operations technician from the 20th Special Forces Group said the Drone Crucible Competition offered a rare chance to bring together some of the Army’s best minds in unmanned systems.

“I think it’s a great way to bring all those different viewpoints and experiences and really generate the best tactics, techniques and procedures,” Carpenter said. “It’s powerful as far as how UAS is employed.”

Carpenter noted that success often hinges on having the right tool for the mission, whether infrared cameras for night operations or quadcopters with prop guards for close?quarters training. He said developing subspecialties within units could strengthen capabilities across the force.

The event also gave Carpenter, a National Guard Soldier and Dual Status Military Technician, the opportunity to see how active?duty units are employing drones. “It’s a very good opportunity to get outside of your normal sphere and see what the conventional Army is doing across the nation,” he said. “Even down to the finer details, like what kind of antenna they’re using. It absolutely translates.”

The Army Drone Team’s participation in the Drone Crucible competition is aimed at more than testing equipment though. Capt. Nathan Rosenberger, a military intelligence officer and artificial intelligence technician assigned to the Army’s Artificial Intelligence Integration Center in Pittsburgh, said the event highlights the value of working across branches.

“Inter-service collaboration is extremely important,” Rosenberger said. “One of the main takeaways from a competition like this is having all of the services come together, work together, and take some lessons to work from.”

Sgt. Ernesto Viveros, an unmanned aircraft systems operator in the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas, said his path to the team began after the Army retired the Shadow system, forcing soldiers to adapt to new platforms. “I’ve been flying drones since August of last year,” Viveros said. “Our chief put us on a path to figure it all out, because he saw what was going on and wanted us to be prepared.”

Viveros said that the rapid pace of innovation has pushed the Army to keep up. “Shadow was an old system, and they just kept it around,” Viveros said. “Now you’ve got conferences, the USNDA, everyone’s trying to learn and buy new systems. From last year it’s just been fast-paced, and we’re jumping on.”

Bickus reflected on the competitive nature of the exercise and the opportunity to train alongside elite units. “Anytime you can train with someone as elite as the Navy SEALs, it’s a good day,” Bickus stated. He also compared commercial drones with systems developed in?house, noting that Soldiers are still building trust in different platforms. “The more we use them, the more we’ll get comfortable and kind of build trust with certain systems,” he said.

Finally, Bickus addressed the broader learning environment, pointing to the importance of adapting established tactics while observing global drone employment. He remarked that the competition allowed Soldiers to refine their skills in close?quarters battle scenarios and nighttime operations, while also learning from allied and partner practices.

The Army Drone Team came out on top in many of its matches, underscoring the unit’s rapid growth and potential. The competition, however, was less about winning individual events and more about building trust in emerging systems, refining tactics and strengthening ties across the force. As the Army continues to adapt to the fast pace of drone innovation, the team’s performance at Camp Blanding marked another step toward shaping how Soldiers employ unmanned systems in future conflicts.

By Leslie Herlick

Posted in Army, Drone, Guest Post | No Comments »