House lawmakers are set to vote next week on a measure that would establish a US Army drone branch. However, Army Under Secretary Gabe Camarillo expressed concerns that this proposal could hinder existing service plans.
Camarillo stated that creating a specialized drone branch is not necessary at this time. “Operating and defending against the drone threat is something that will be experienced by all formations at multiple echelons,” he said after a Center for a New American Security event. He argued that the Army’s current strategy, which involves integrating drone operations across various units, is more effective than forming a separate branch.
The House Armed Services Committee’s draft for the fiscal 2025 defense authorization bill includes a provision to establish a “Drone Corps” within the Army. This new branch would oversee small and medium-sized unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and counter-UAS (C-UAS) programs, focusing on integrating these systems, providing specialized training, and developing new technologies.
Camarillo contends that forming a new branch could disrupt ongoing efforts to integrate drone capabilities across the Army. He emphasized the importance of experimentation within different units to determine the most effective use of UAS and C-UAS technologies. “Specializing a singular drone branch to get after the operation of these capabilities runs counter to what we have been focused on,” he said.
The Army is currently leading the Joint Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office, which helps identify and deploy C-UAS systems. Additionally, the Army has launched the Joint C-sUAS University at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, and is testing new high-energy laser systems in the field. The service is also rebalancing its drone portfolio and encouraging units to experiment with commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) drone technologies.
Camarillo highlighted the Army’s investment in counter-drone capabilities, with about $1.8 billion spent since FY17 and plans to increase this in the FY26 budget. He stressed the importance of focusing on research and development to enhance the Army’s inventory of UAS and C-UAS technologies while keeping costs down.
The Army’s approach involves providing units with COTS UAS capabilities to better understand their tactical employment. “It’s important to get after giving units these capabilities to let them experiment and understand how they will employ them at different echelons,” Camarillo said.
Camarillo suggested that the Army’s current strategies and initiatives are more likely to yield operational and acquisition benefits than creating a separate Drone Corps. “The institutional implications of it are secondary to figuring out how we’re going to employ the technology and what works best,” he concluded.
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