By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Pew PatriotsPew PatriotsPew Patriots
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
  • Home
  • News
  • Tactical
  • Guns and Gear
  • Prepping & Survival
  • Videos
Reading: U.S. Military’s Grenade-Dropping Drone “Breakthrough” Exposes Dire Lag In Modern Warfare
Share
Font ResizerAa
Pew PatriotsPew Patriots
  • News
  • Tactical
  • Guns and Gear
  • Prepping & Survival
  • Videos
Search
  • Home
  • News
  • Tactical
  • Guns and Gear
  • Prepping & Survival
  • Videos
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
U.S. Military’s Grenade-Dropping Drone “Breakthrough” Exposes Dire Lag In Modern Warfare
Prepping & Survival

U.S. Military’s Grenade-Dropping Drone “Breakthrough” Exposes Dire Lag In Modern Warfare

Jimmie Dempsey
Last updated: July 23, 2025 6:16 pm
Jimmie Dempsey Published July 23, 2025
Share
SHARE

This article was originally published by Willow Tohi at Natural News. 

    • U.S. Army’s recent display of a grenade-dropping drone highlights its staggering lag in drone warfare technology.
    • Ukraine and non-state groups like ISIS have deployed similar or superior capabilities for years, with Ukraine now leading global advancements.
    • Failed U.S. military tests in Alaska reveal systemic shortcomings in autonomous drone development and countermeasures.
    • Pentagon reforms aim to speed drone acquisition, but bureaucratic hurdles persist.
    • Trump-Zelensky talks propose a drone “mega deal” to piggyback on Ukraine’s battlefield-tested tech.

The U.S. Army’s recent announcement showcasing its “first live-grenade drop from an unmanned aircraft system” was swiftly mocked for its self-congratulatory tone. “What rock have you been hiding under the last three years?” demanded one critic, referencing Ukraine’s battlefield dominance in drone warfare, ISIS’s 2016 precedent, and Mexico’s cartel innovations. The Army’s delayed progress serves as an indictment of U.S. military readiness as adversaries surge ahead.

A “game-changing” capability, borrowed from 2016

The Army’s demo in Germany— routed out grenades via quadcopter drones—emulated tactics perfected by ISIS militants during the Battle of Mosul. By 2017, jihadists were deploying DIY drones to lob grenades and explosives at U.S. forces. In Syria, these tactics evolved, while Ukraine’s war against Russia has seen drone warfare escalate to industrial scale.

Ukraine’s homemade “Vampire” and “Zubr” drones now strike up to 800 miles into Russian territory, neutralizing airbases and Black Sea fleets. Conversely, the Pentagon’s Artemis project, a $16 million initiative to develop counter-drone tech, faltered in Alaska’s June tests:

    • AeroVironment’s prototype crashed into a hill mid-jamming exercise.
    • Dragoon’s Sender drone overshot its target, erupting in flames.

“[W]e just aren’t giving the [U.S.] warfighter what they need to survive today,” Pentagon acquisition expert Trent Emeneker admitted, underscoring systemic failures.

Behind the curve: Bureaucracy, budgets and battlespace ignorance

The Army’s tardiness stems from intertwining issues:

    • Bureaucratic inertia: Despite Gen. Richard Clarke’s 2022 warnings about quadcopter threats, institutional resistance delayed drone integration.
    • Strategic obtuseness: The Army’s latest tank manual mocks Ukraine’s lessons by advising troops to spot drones via open hatches and shotgun shells. Anti-drone armor, standard on Ukrainian Abrams tanks since 2021, is only now under review for adoption.
    • Civilian tech gaps: U.S. firms like Neros and Dragoon lag behind Ukraine’s rapid prototyping. During

“Operation Spider Web,” 117 Ukrainian drones crippled four Russian airfields—a feat unmatched by U.S. systems.

The Office of Naval Research’s July report further warned: “The U.S. approaches drone development with glacial efficiency; competitors iterate daily in real battlefields.”

A “mega deal” with Kyiv: Buying Ukraine’s war experience

Amid failures, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth unveiled reforms to cut drone procurement “red tape.” Concurrently, President Trump’s team is negotiating a $2.1 billion deal with Ukraine: Biden administration objections aside, Kyiv would license its drone tech to Washington in exchange for American weapons.

“This is a win-win,” declared President Zelensky, whose forces have tested innovations under withering Russian fire. The pact could leverage Ukraine’s adaptive edge—its drones are 83% cheaper than U.S. equivalents and boast superior AI targeting.

“We’re trading asymmetric strategies,” Emeneker noted. “American industry must learn from Ukraine’s speed and resourcefulness—if it’s not too late.”

An air dominance “role reversal”

For decades, the United States has prided itself as the global vanguard of military innovation, yet its drone technology now amounts to little more than a hollow echo of its past dominance. While Ukraine and Houthi rebels in Yemen have weaponized drones to transformative effect—Ukraine employing swarms for tactical strikes and relentless surveillance, while the Houthis have besieged Saudi and UAE infrastructure with low-cost, autonomous drones like swarm attacks—the Pentagon remains paralyzed by bureaucratic gridlock and outdated paradigms of warfare.

The Army’s infamous 2016 “grenade-dropping” drone experiment, which saw a defense contractor deploy modified drones to drop hand grenades, offers a stark metaphor for its broader failures: overcomplicated systems, exorbitant costs, and a disconnect from the realities of modern conflict. These issues are not merely technical but existential, marking a “Sputnik moment” that underscores the peril of lagging behind the curve. While Lieutenant General Rick Lynch’s reforms and heightened U.S.-Ukraine diplomacy under the Trump and Biden administrations hint at solutions, the window for adaptation narrows daily. As President Zelensky charged last autumn, “Our enemies fight tomorrow’s wars today. Shouldn’t their allies follow?”

Without urgent modernization, the United States risks ceding battlefield supremacy to adversaries who wield simple, adaptable technologies with devastating precision. The Houthis’ asymmetric drone campaigns and Ukraine’s mastery of battlefield surveillance drones starkly illustrate this truth—warfare has evolved, but America’s military playbook remains frozen in the 21st century’s rearview mirror.

Read the full article here

You Might Also Like

10 Hidden Water Sources in The City

Trump’s Tariff Ship Has Sailed: The Chinese Ship Levy

In August, Project 2025 Was 47% Complete

Trump Has Ordered The National Guard To Squash The Riots In California

Simply & Naturally Boost Your Immune System This Fall

Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Email Print
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

We Recommend
WNBA commissioner’s past comments on Caitlin Clark earnings resurface after denying recently alleged remarks
News

WNBA commissioner’s past comments on Caitlin Clark earnings resurface after denying recently alleged remarks

Jimmie Dempsey Jimmie Dempsey October 5, 2025
Elvira remains unimpressed with Ariana Grande’s apology for diva behavior, hopes singer learns humility
Hegseth fires Navy chief of staff
Biden-appointed judge slammed by conservatives for ‘lenient’ 8-year sentence in Kavanaugh assassination plot
DAVID MARCUS: Portland’s dystopia delusion coming to a city near all of us
Supreme Court’s Next 2A Case Could End Carry Restrictions Nationwide!
Bill Belichick gets ripped on social media after Clemson blows out UNC: ‘Complete dumpster fire’
News

Bill Belichick gets ripped on social media after Clemson blows out UNC: ‘Complete dumpster fire’

Jimmie Dempsey Jimmie Dempsey October 4, 2025
Newly released 911 transcripts capture chaos, fear during Minneapolis church shooting: ‘Stay down, stay quiet’
News

Newly released 911 transcripts capture chaos, fear during Minneapolis church shooting: ‘Stay down, stay quiet’

Jimmie Dempsey Jimmie Dempsey October 4, 2025
Police defend findings of Kyren Lacy crash investigation after attorney provides new evidence
News

Police defend findings of Kyren Lacy crash investigation after attorney provides new evidence

Jimmie Dempsey Jimmie Dempsey October 4, 2025
Pew Patriots
  • News
  • Tactical
  • Prepping & Survival
  • Videos
  • Guns and Gear
2024 © Pew Patriots. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?