New Operator Course Hopes to Get the US On Par With Global Forces

Realizing that it has fallen far behind global military forces, the US Army is making an “aggressive attempt” to get up to speed in drone operations by launching its Unmanned Advanced Lethality Course. Soldiers will spend several weeks out at Fort Rucker to build flying skills and practice drone strike scenarios.

The program spans over a month, beginning with three weeks of classroom instruction. Soldiers get 20 to 25 hours on commercial simulators like Liftoff, VelociDrone, and Drone Racing League, essentially creating a “video game” type experience that soothes the transition to real-world flying. Once soldiers can successfully navigate a virtual drone, they move on to field exercises.

Those scenarios cover urban combat scenarios, including reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition missions. Soldiers are then tasked with practicing one-way attack drone strikes, using balloons as targets. This allows troops to simulate taking out enemies without blowing up the equipment the Army just paid for.

The training isn’t just about flying; soldiers are also taught to build and repair their drones using computer-aided design software and 3D printers.

Twenty-eight soldiers from a mix of backgrounds—infantry, cavalry, and aviation—are currently enrolled. Some come with hobbyist experience, others with prior certifications as master trainers. The course is known to use five drone systems from the Defense Department’s Blue UAS Cleared List, though Army officials declined to identify which ones.

Capt. Rachel Martin, who played a major role in putting the curriculum together, was blunt about the course’s purpose: “This course is a catch-up…We’re behind globally, and this is our aggressive attempt to close that gap.”

Fort Rucker, Alabama, is now designated as the Army’s advanced drone training site, and the program is the first drone-specific course approved under Training and Doctrine Command.

FMI: www.army.mil