A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers, including Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, independent Sen. Angus King, and Republican Rep. Mike Turner, have urged the Army to provide an explanation for its decision to disband a specialized drone warfare unit within the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Established in November with the purpose of deploying anywhere drones were needed, the unit of 600 soldiers was developing its own drones and training in drone warfare tactics, mirroring strategies employed by Ukraine against Russia and Iran against the U.S., which have resulted in casualties among American troops. The lawmakers expressed deep concerns that dissolving this unit could impede the Army’s ability to modernize and adapt to the rapidly evolving nature of warfare that increasingly relies on uncrewed systems.

In a letter addressed to departing Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and acting Chief of Staff Gen. Christopher LaNeve, the lawmakers requested a briefing to understand the rationale behind the decision, which was implemented less than a year after the unit’s formation. They sought details on the data, analysis, and decision-making process that led to the order, as well as clarification on whether the change was driven by Pentagon leadership or internal Army directives. The request comes in the context of recent leadership changes at the Pentagon, including the sudden dismissal of former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the subsequent resignation of Army Secretary Driscoll, both of whom had been strong advocates for integrating drones into Army formations as part of the Army Transformation Initiative. The lawmakers emphasized their support for the transformative initiatives undertaken under Driscoll’s leadership and called for the maintenance of this momentum despite the changing uniformed leadership. ¹

Footnotes

1. Yahoo News. (2026, January 17). Lawmakers ask Army to explain why it told a military unit to stop specializing in drone warfare. https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/lawmakers-ask-army-explain-why-120058901.html ↩

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