82nd Airborne soldiers train with Ukraine-tested Bumblebee drones

The U.S. Army's elite 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, is learning new combat skills using Bumblebee drones that have proven effective in Ukraine's war. The soldiers are practicing drone-on-drone combat, a fighting method that didn't exist just a few years ago.

The training comes as military leaders recognize that drones are changing warfare faster than any technology in decades. According to Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, drones account for most of this year's casualties in the Ukraine conflict.

At Fort Bragg, a special unit called Gainey Company was created in 2023 to lead drone innovation and train other soldiers. Meanwhile, at Fort Leonard Wood, soldiers are learning the basics: how drones fly, how to assemble them, and how to control them in combat situations.

The same Bumblebee drones used in this training are being sent to U.S. military training centers in the Middle East, showing how quickly battlefield lessons from Ukraine are being adopted by American forces.

This training represents a major shift for the U.S. military, which despite being the world's most advanced fighting force, is now playing catch-up in drone technology that has proven crucial in modern warfare.