Below the reader will find recent news about unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that are used in conflicts (Ukraine, Africa, etc.), new developments in drone use, and training by military units for using drones during combat operations. Curated articles on the topics below are provided:
- AFSOC to Outfit MQ-9 as Drone Mothership
- US Army and Transition to Drone Warfare
- Treat Drones as Ammo
- “Whack-A-Drone” C-UAS Game
- SOCOM to Use Confiscated Chinese Drones for Target Practice
- Kraken Sea Drones for SOCOM
- Drones and Contested Logistical Resupply
- Ukraine’s Drone Kill Zone
- Merops Anti-Drone System for NATO
- Turkey’s SHORAD System to Counter Drone Swarms
U.S. and Drones
AFSOC to Outfit MQ-9 as Drone Mothership. The Air Force has awarded a contract for small drones that will help transform MQ-9 Reapers into drone-launching motherships. This effort is part of AFSOC’s Adaptive Airborne Enterprise or A2E. It is envisioned that the MQ-9s will become mobile control centers for multiple drones that will provide ISR in an “expansive sensing grid” to find targets or provide comms for SOF teams in the battlespace. “Air Force Buying $50 Million in Small Drones to Support Special Ops Missions“, Air and Space Forces, November 19, 2025.
US Army and Transition to Drone Warfare. Joshua Suthoff, a U.S. Army officer, provides input on how the Army’s divisions and brigades will need to organize for the future fight on the battlefield where drones will play a major role. “Transition Period Warfare: How the US Army Should Organize to Fight in a Time of Rapid Change”, Modern War Institute at West Point, November 20, 2025.
Treat Drones as Ammo. The Department of Defense should designate small aerial drones as conventional ammunition and ensure their availability through the Army’s ammunition system. This will make them a consumable item that can be expended for training and combat as needed will a robust supply system that can keep front-line infantrymen supplied with the weapons they need for the modern battlefield. Two Special Forces officers from 4th Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) provide their input on how the drone supply system should work. “The Case for Treating Drones as Ammunition”, by Zachary Griffiths and Jeff Ivas, War on the Rocks, November 21, 2025.
“Whack-A-Drone” C-UAS Game. An interactive wargaming training module has been developed to aid in the deployment of counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) capabilities. The gaming simulator is designed to help users assess where to place assets to repel and defeat drone swarms. It is a training vehicle to teach how to put together an integrated air defense system. “Marine interns develop ‘Whack-A-Drone’ C-UAS training game”, Unmanned Air Space, November 21, 2025.
SOCOM to Use Confiscated Chinese Drones for Target Practice. A three-day training event on December 4-6, 2025, will take place at Camp Blanding Joint Training Center in Starke, Florida called “Military Drone Crucible“. The state of Florida has donated over 500 confiscated Chinese drones to U.S. Special Operations Command. Elements of the SOF community will participate in the event which is being supported by the U.S. National Drone Association. The drones were confiscated by the state of Florida after 2023 legislation that prohibs state agencies from using drones made by companies from China due to risks of data espionage. “Florida plans to use confiscated Chinese drones for military target practice”, The Hill, November 21, 2025.
Kraken Sea Drones for SOCOM. Kraken Technology Group announced that it has been awarded an OTA agreement by United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). The agreement supports the rapid development and prototyping of uncrewed surface and subsurface vessels tailored for U.S. special operations forces. “Kraken to deliver prototype uncrewed vessels for U.S. special ops”, Defence Blog, November 21, 2025.
Drones and Contested Logistical Resupply. Bill Edwards and Mike Hebert write about how drones and signals require a change in standard operating procedures. On the modern drone-saturated battlefield current SOPs for keeping formations equipped no long apply. The authors of this article get into the details on how to supply the front lines while dealing with the constatn threat of drones. Small Wars Journal, November 24, 2025.
Drones and the Ukraine – Russia Conflict
Ukraine’s Drone Kill Zone. For a few years the fighting in Ukraine resembled that of World War I – trench warfare with the use of infantry and artillery. However, drones have changed that and the battlefield now is very much different. There is no solid front line on each side. Instead, there is a ‘kill zone’ about 20 to 40 kilometers wide where everything inside of it is hunted by drones from above. The Ukraine conflict has become a drone against drone war – which only subsides with bad weather characterized by rain or fog. Read more in “Ukraine’s kill zone: How drones ended trench warfare”, by Veronika Melkozerova, Politico, November 18, 2025.
Ukraine’s AI-guided Drone Wall. A new system can launch swarms of explosive first person view (FPV) drones that form an autonomous barrier able to intercept Russian Shaheds and glide bombs. The French defence technology company that developed the system calls it a “flying drone minefield”. The drone wall defend cities, energy infrastructure, and other civilian areas that regulary come under Russian attack. When a target approaches the drone wall in the sky, one or more drones break formation and detonates near the Russian drone – destroying or disabling it in mid-air. “Ukraine to deploy world’s first AI-guided ‘drone wall’ to stop Russian attacks”, Aerospace Global News, November 19, 2025.
Drones Around the World
Merops Anti-Drone System for NATO. A Ukrainian counter-drone system with over 2,000 Russian intercepts is now be used by NATO nations. Poland and Romania are deploying the Merops system in response to Russian drone incursions that have been taking place the past few months. US soldiers have also been training on the drone killer as well. The Merops system used in Ukraine was developed by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt as part of a U.S.-based defense initiative called Project Eagle. (Business Insider, Nov 20, 2025)
Turkey’s SHORAD System to Counter Drone Swarms. A system that employs “soft kills” and “hard kills” was recently demonstrated in Turkey by a Turkish defense manufacturer. It employs a 12.7mm rotary gun, 20mm cannon and 35mm gun. In addition, it can employ electronic warfare and jamming capabilities. “Turkey’s SHORAD System is Designed to Knock Drone Swarms Out of the Sky”, The National Interest, November 20, 2025.
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Image. A member of the Swedish Home Guard operates a drone during surveillance operations alongside Green Berets assigned to U.S. Army 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) during exercise TYR in Stockholm, Sweden, May 24, 2025. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Liseth Espinel, SOCEUR)
