#unmanned systems

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll says the service aims to purchase one million drones within 18 to 24 months and will launch a soldier-led marketplace next month where private companies can sell drone innovations directly to military units. The push follows the Army's inaugural Best Drone Warfighter Competition.

Israel Aerospace Industries has delivered the BlueWhale unmanned submarine to Germany's naval forces, marking the first autonomous submarine developed by an Israeli defense company. The vessel can operate independently for up to three weeks and is designed for anti-submarine warfare and covert maritime operations.

The U.S. Army is establishing a competitive event in Huntsville to identify the best drone pilots in the force, modeled on the tradition of the Best Ranger Competition. The initiative is designed not just as a showcase but as a tool to shape how the service selects, trains, and develops unmanned systems operators.

The 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart is pioneering a training program to make every soldier a drone operator, integrating small unmanned systems into armored brigade combat teams as standard equipment rather than specialist tools.