82nd Airborne Trains on Drone Combat Tactics Used in Ukraine

The 82nd Airborne Division recently conducted training on drone-countering maneuvers at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, using tactics similar to those employed in Ukraine. The exercise involved soldiers piloting Bumblebee drones to intercept and collide with other drones, simulating combat scenarios. The training focused on both the Bumblebee V1, already deployed in Ukraine, and the newer Bumblebee V2, which features automatic target recognition but has not yet been used in combat. According to Sgt. Maj. Kellen Rowley, senior enlisted adviser for the Pentagon's interagency counter-drone task force, the V1 training is also taking place at domestic bases and a U.S. Central Command training center in the Middle East. Rowley emphasized that while the skills require significant practice—around 40 hours—the soldiers can become effective operators. The Defense Department established the task force to coordinate counter-drone efforts across government agencies, citing the urgency highlighted by conflicts in Ukraine, drone incursions near U.S. military bases, and tensions with Iran.