An Army unit based in Europe that was specializing in drone warfare has been directed to end its efforts to learn and use the battlefield technology and return to being a traditional infantry battalion, officials said Thursday.

For more nearly a year, soldiers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade have been experimenting and building their own drones, as well as participating in drills on waging unmanned warfare after Ukraine pioneered such tactics in its yearslong conflict with Russia. Last November, 600 soldiers formed a battalion that specialized in drone warfare and was set up to be used as a dedicated unit that could deploy anywhere drones were required.

Gen. Christopher LaNeve, the Army’s acting chief of staff, has ordered the battalion to refocus on its core mission of being an airborne infantry unit, according to two U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal Army deliberations. The Wall Street Journal earlier reported the change.

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[–] 1 point 1 hour ago

We are so lucky nobody's decided to test our conventional warfare capability (yet).

Trump is very obviously actively gutting it.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 hours ago

    Sounds like an order straight from Russia to US army

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  • [–] 2 points 4 hours ago

    Drones are too expensive and Amazon needs them for deliveries, use meat shields instead, it's cheaper.

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  • [–] 16 points 9 hours ago

    Well it is a department of war and not one of victory.

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  • [–] 13 points 12 hours ago (1 child)

    it wasnt that long ago that ukraine's relatively small drone division decimated eu armored division in a wargame. what changed?

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  • [–] 20 points 9 hours ago (2 children)

    Trump decided that WW2 boats look cooler, so we're down grading the military

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  • [–] 10 points 12 hours ago (1 child)

    What's next? Invade Russia in winter?

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  • [–] 7 points 8 hours ago

    With this timeline:

    "They said it couldn't be done but im going to do it. We got top ppl. Let me tell you about these beautiful high testosterone ppl im sending. All straight ill add." Etc etc

    Follow by

    "No body knew it was going to be this hard"

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  • [–] 33 points 17 hours ago (2 children)

    Drones gonna be laughing when they killing dudes with super testosterone jumping out of planes like pigs in a barrel.

    Next they're gonna order the pawns fo use black powder rifles and bayonets.

    Or, maybe the mainland gonna be attacked soon.

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  • [–] 11 points 17 hours ago* (1 child)

    We've seen the face of warfare change with drones in Ukraine and Iran allowing an outnumbered force to hold off aggressors.

    Trump shuts off civilian drones with lidar or infrared, now this military program. It's almost like he does not want anyone who may offer opposition to the have latest technology.

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  • [–] 2 points 16 hours ago (1 child)