U.S. Army Partners with Soldiers to Rapidly Field New Drone Technology

In a shift from traditional military procurement, the U.S. Army is accelerating the development of a new class of autonomous systems by placing them directly into the hands of soldiers for testing and feedback. This new approach was on full display at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, where soldiers recently conducted the first hands-on trials of Launched Effects (LEs), multi-purpose drones designed to revolutionize battlefield surveillance and engagement.

A New Era of Acquisition

The Army’s Launched Effects initiative represents a departure from the typically slow and rigid acquisition process. Instead of spending years finalizing requirements before a soldier ever sees the technology, the service is fielding off-the-shelf systems and using direct user feedback to drive continuous iteration and improvement. This strategy aligns with a broader Pentagon push for drone dominance by 2027, a mandate championed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

In late April, Hegseth directed the Army to equip every division with launched effects by 2026. Col. Danielle Medaglia, the Army’s program manager for uncrewed aircraft systems, noted that while the LE initiative was already in motion, the high-level directive provided the necessary momentum to ensure the program meets its ambitious timelines. The Army is utilizing an urgent capability acquisition pathway, which allows for flexibility to adapt to new technologies and reopen competition to different vendors every six months, ensuring the military keeps pace with innovation.

Soldiers at the Forefront

The core of this new strategy was a three-week special user demonstration in August. During the event, soldiers were trained on three baseline short-range LE systems: RTX’s Coyote Block 3, Anduril’s Altius 600, and AEVEX Aerospace’s Atlas. The training progressed from classroom instruction and simulation to live flights and, finally, the application of the drones in tactical scenarios.

Officials emphasized that the primary goal was to gather unfiltered feedback on the systems’ user-friendliness and mission relevance. Brig. Gen. Cain Baker, director of the Army’s Future Vertical Lift Cross Functional Team, explained that this input is crucial for refining everything from the technology itself to the military doctrine and training that will surround it. Army leaders were impressed by how quickly soldiers adapted to the new equipment, validating the program’s core principle of soldier-centric development.

Early Success and Future Vision

The feedback from the demonstration was overwhelmingly positive. Spc. Jacob Richter, who had no prior drone experience, found the transition from the simulator to live flight to be seamless. He and 1st Lt. Zach Glenn highlighted the tactical advantages of the LEs, such as using a scout drone to identify targets for an attack drone, thereby increasing operational security and reducing risk to human operators.

This hands-on experience allows soldiers to experiment with the technology in ways developers might not have envisioned. Lt. Col. Michael Wallace, a battalion commander, stated that this process helps refine operational concepts and ensures the systems are truly effective for the warfighter. The invaluable data gathered will now inform future requirements and operational strategies.

Looking ahead, the Army plans to establish a modular, plug-and-play architecture for all Launched Effects, ensuring that launchers and controllers are agnostic to the specific drone being used. This approach simplifies integration and encourages a wider range of industry partners to develop compatible systems. As the program matures, the lessons learned from these short-range trials will be applied to the development of medium and long-range variants, solidifying the Army’s commitment to a more agile, lethal, and technologically advanced force.