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Lawmakers ask Army to explain why it told a military unit to stop specializing in drone warfare

On Tuesday, a bipartisan group of lawmakers requested an Army briefing on the decision to end drone warfare specialization for the 173rd Airborne Brigade, a 600-soldier unit based in Europe that had practiced tactics pioneered in Ukraine.
Acting Army chief of staff Gen. Christopher LaNeve recently ordered the battalion to refocus on airborne infantry missions, following Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's ousting of former chief of staff Gen. Randy George in April.
Under President Joe Biden, George and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll launched the Army Transformation Initiative to integrate unmanned aircraft systems into formations, aiming to accelerate drone development for regular soldiers rather than specialized units.
Lawmakers requested data on whether the decision originated from Pentagon leadership or internal Army processes, citing concerns that ending the specialization will hinder modernization and limit knowledge sharing with the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Amid reported tensions with Hegseth, Driscoll submitted his resignation this week; lawmakers urged the Army to maintain momentum of transformative initiatives despite ongoing changes in uniformed command.

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