Army Applies Lessons From Ukraine’s Drone Warfare

PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEF (PDB) – Following Ukraine’s stunning attack over the weekend that used small drones to target and destroy Russia’s strategic bombers, the Army is applying observations to its ongoing force transformation.

For starters, leaders believe it is a validation of some of the radical change the service is seeking in how to procure and manage capabilities differently in the future. 

The Army chief of staff said: “Yesterday was a really good example of just how quickly technology is changing the battlefield.”

And on Monday, DOD program is pushing drone makers to continuously improve their systems based on troops’ feedback, hoping to spur innovation as quickly as wartime Ukraine does.

The Defense Innovation Unit’s (DUI’s) Project GI initiative aims to embed frontline insights into a perpetual loop of design, testing, and deployment. It’s a deliberate effort to mimic how the Ukrainian military has out-innovated Russian forces by rapidly fielding and advancing drone technology under fire. 

Inside Fort Carson’s ‘Monster Garage’: The launchpad for the Army’s future drone warfare. Established about four months ago, the unit calls itself the Small Unmanned Aerial Systems Innovation and Standardization Platoon, or the Dragonflies.

Its twofold mission is to figure out what exactly it can do with these small drones, create standards and then teach the combat units of the division how to incorporate the drones into the work of infantry formations, cavalry scouts and logistics operations.

The work is part of a larger Army initiative to get drones quickly into the hands of all types of soldiers — not just specially trained operators — in response to the ongoing use of drones in conflicts around the world.

FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – Here’s a roundup of today’s other top defense stories ending the week from conservative national security expert PAUL CRESPO.

Not the President’s Daily Brief, but almost as good – PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEFING – the PDB:  

NATIONAL SECURITY

From what is known about Trump’s Golden Dome missile defense initiative, its backbone will be space-based sensors. But some of the most critical contracts may come from less visible parts of the architecture: ground infrastructure and the software that will manage the “system of systems.”

From criticism to commendation: Germany’s efforts to ramp up defense spending won it rare praise from the Trump administration, when Berlin was held up as an example by Hegseth for Asian countries to follow.

HOMELAND SECURITY

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) would lose nearly 1,000 full-time employees under Trump’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget, a stark downsizing of the government’s civilian cybersecurity force.

Staff of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) were left baffled after the head of the disaster agency reportedly said he had not been aware the country has a hurricane season.

Prosecutors in Milwaukee have charged a man with four felonies for attempting to frame an illegal alien he is accused of assaulting, by sending forged letters in illegal’s name with a threat to kill Trump.

POLITICS

Senators in both parties are itching to move a bipartisan Russia sanctions package as fighting escalates in the region, but Republicans are waiting on a green light from Trump.

Trump administration plans to end Afghan allies’ relocation programs. Two pathways for resettlement would be terminated under plans shared with Congress last week.

White House bets on supplemental money from Congress. Trump’s proposed 2026 budget shows it has requested less money for Space Force, a move that doesn’t match his rhetoric about the service and its national security importance.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth set a goal in February to shed 5 to 8% of the civilian workforce, or roughly 60,000 employees. But DOD won’t say how many civilians have left since.

US POWER OVERSEAS

These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of June 2, 2025.

Hawaii-based 25th Infantry Division troops are in the midst of a training exercise with Philippine allies that has them pushing farther and striking deeper with the help of new drones.

CHINA THREAT

Chinese Carrier Strike Group moved into the Pacific Ocean east of the. The move marks the furthest distance carrier CNS Liaoning (16) has sailed in the Western Pacific on deployment.

RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR

Operation Spiderweb: What Ukraine’s unprecedented large-scale Ukrainian drone strike against airbases across Russia yesterday, means for Russia’s bomber force.

Ukraine and Russia agree to swap dead and wounded troops but report no progress toward ending war.

A day after Ukraine’s audacious attack using drones launched from trucks to strike nearby Russian bombers, the scope of the damage and how the mission was pulled off is just starting to come into focus.

The U.S. military’s training of Ukrainian forces in Bavaria switched to a new Army National Guard unit from Tennessee over the weekend, as Russia appears poised to launch a new offensive.

IRAN THREAT/MIDEAST

Gaza officials claim Israeli forces fired on people as they headed toward an aid distribution site. The Israeli army said it fired “near a few individual suspects” who left the designated route, approached its forces and ignored warning shots.

NORTH KOREA THREAT

After months of political turmoil, South Korea will elect a new president this week in a snap election to succeed conservative Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted over his brief but shocking imposition of martial law.

SPACE THREAT

Expected cuts to budgets for commercial satellite imagery used increasingly by the military, Intelligence Community and national weather organizations are threatening the financial stability of the U.S. remote sensing ecosystem as a whole.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

Prime Minister Keir Starmer vows ‘battle-ready’ Britain, unveiling sweeping defense reforms and spending increases, pledging to transform the UK into an “armor-clad nation.” This includes a plan to build up to twelve new attack subs as part of the AUKUS trilateral agreement with the U.S. and Australia. The conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines will replace the seven Astute class subs starting in the late 2030s.

UK’s Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers will be equipped with deck-launched long-range missiles and uncrewed aerial systems as part of sweeping upgrades to their strike capabilities.

Thwarting Tehran by creating prosperity in Africa. Trump’s historic visit to the Middle East, focused on deepening commercial and cultural ties — investments that increase mutual prosperity but also send a strong message to adversaries that their tactics and ambitions will fail.

Top U.S. Africa diplomat pitches commercial diplomacy on Capitol Hill.

Flailing state: The resurgence of al-Shabaab in Somalia is reversing government gains and reasserting control in swathes of central and southern Somalia, underscoring the structural weaknesses in the Somali state and the failure of international military strategy.

Al-Qaida affiliate attacks Mali army bases as junta struggles to contain jihadist threat.

US MILITARY

Army shuts down its sole active-duty information operations command, the 1st Information Operations Command, after 23 years of operations, citing changing needs in the wider force.

Navy awarded a $536 million contract to NorthStar Maritime Dismantlement Service to dismantle, recycle and dispose of the former aircraft carrier Enterprise (CVN-65), a four-year effort that will set precedents for future nuclear-powered ship disposals.

Army medics were moving blood to the frontlines with drones in a major recent exercise.

END of PDB

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.

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