Army’s heavy units face counter-drone capability gaps

DefenseScoop | Drew F. Lawrence

The United States Army’s 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team recently exposed critical counter-drone capability gaps during a major training rotation at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, California. Unit leaders warned that the inability to rapidly defeat enemy unmanned aerial systems represents the single greatest threat to heavy armored maneuver on the modern battlefield.

This vulnerability mirrors ongoing combat dynamics in Ukraine, where cheap loitering munitions have repeatedly bypassed traditional armor to disable advanced Western platforms like the M1A2 Abrams tank. To adapt, the service is updating its tactical doctrine and testing next-generation platforms like the M1E3 tank and XM30. However, systemic procurement challenges persist as the Pentagon struggles to scale effective counter-UAS technology across the wider force, leaving frontline units without organic defense systems. Consequently, military commanders emphasize that heavy formations cannot fully secure the contested air-ground littoral zone until these technological deficiencies are resolved.

Comment

The vulnerability of heavy armour to low-cost aerial threats demands a fundamental shift in combined arms doctrine. For the Indian Army in Ladakh and Punjab, this capability gap is particularly acute. Relying on legacy air defence systems like the Tunguska or upgraded L-70 guns is insufficient against swarming loitering munitions. New Delhi must integrate active protection systems and soft-kill jammers onto its T-90 Bhishma fleet to preserve offensive manoeuvre.

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