William Lawson
The Pentagon has announced what Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth calls a “Top Gun” event for battlefield drones like those deployed by Ukraine against Russian forces. Hegseth recently announced an all-out effort to assert “American drone dominance,” of which this event is a part. The so-called Top Gun school will be part of the semi-annual Technology Readiness Experimentation (T-REX) event at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, in August.
Beginning in 2023, T-REX has served as a showcase for emerging technologies, including new drone prototypes. This will be the first year that T-REX will host a head-to-head simulated drone combat in urban and other environments. The exercises will feature first-person viewer (FPV) drones, which are kamikaze-style drones widely used in the Ukraine War.
American forces are rushing to close the gap between US drone capability and that of Russia, Ukraine, China, and Israel. Realistic exercises are imperative to understanding what works and what does not. The Top Gun exercise is a crucial first step in that direction, pitting “red vs. blue” forces in simulated combat. Counter-drone technology will also be showcased during the exercise, forcing participants to account for every possible contingency.
Russia has reportedly equipped its frontline soldiers with approximately 1.5 million small drones last year, and this number is expected to continue growing. Ukraine, however, may have surpassed that output, supplying its troops with 200,000 drones per month. Current American manufacturing capability cannot approach those numbers, not least because the infrastructure and doctrine for their deployment are still being developed.
China also has an advantage driven by its dominance in manufacturing, not only small drones, but also the electronic and digital components required for drone operation. American manufacturing capacity will need to expand rapidly if the United States seeks to catch up with China.
Hegseth is attempting to streamline the drone development process by opening the door to manufacturers and entrepreneurs, while also easing the procurement process for drones by allowing military units to bypass the traditional, bureaucratic Pentagon procurement process.
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