Army expands battlefield AI as counter-drone fight takes center stage

The Army is expanding its use of artificial intelligence beyond drones, adopting AI-enabled wearables and automated defenses as it confronts a rising priority: countering inexpensive drone swarms that threaten both troops and infrastructure. Army leaders describe the counter-drone fight as top-tier national security concern, calling it “problem 1A” for the nation and signaling a broader push to weave AI into training, logistics and combat systems.

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll outlined a pilot program in which soldiers wear AI-enabled Ray-Ban-style glasses that record maintenance work and then use generative models to guide less-experienced troops through infantry squad vehicle repairs. He said the effort reflects a shift to bring consumer technology into the force “a lot more quickly” than in the past. While Meta spent billions developing similar glasses, the Army is testing them for about $400 per pair.

Gen. Randy George, the Army’s chief of staff, said the same approach applies to the Pentagon’s top emerging challenge: defending against drones. “This is problem 1A that we’re facing as a country,” Driscoll said, stressing that counter-drone technology must be cheap, fast and automated. “If you think of a drone swarm … it is a nearly impossible idea for even human beings [to handle].”

That challenge has already been underscored overseas, where advanced aircraft have intercepted relatively inexpensive drones. “If you’ve got a $5,000 drone, you want a $2,000 or $3,000 or $4,000 interceptor, and that’s what we’re focused on,” George said. The Dutch and Polish air forces recently deployed to take out dozens of Russian drones flying into Russian territory. The Army is testing proximity rounds and high-energy lasers, while the bigger hurdle remains defending against drones in crowded civilian airspace.

As part of the Army’s ongoing “continuous transformation” initiative, 25 brigades will be overhauled in the next two years to make them more lethal, mobile and survivable in high-threat environments. The first armored brigade combat teams are set to rotate through the National Training Center in California this November, followed by a large-scale exercise in Hawaii. George also cited armor modernization, saying the Army’s next-generation M1E3 tank — envisioned as a lighter, faster replacement for the Abrams — could reach units as early as next year, a pace that would markedly accelerate fielding compared with earlier projections.

To pay for modernization, Driscoll said the Army plans to cut $48 billion over five years from programs it no longer needs, reinvesting in drones, air defenses and long-range fires. The service also launched a $750 million “Fuse” fund to support small and mid-sized businesses and previewed acquisition reforms to be detailed at next month’s Association of the United States Army conference. Officials also highlighted in-house efforts, including building drones at depots with all-American parts — including models already flying in Ukraine — and testing 3D printing as a way to overcome the “tyranny of distance” in the Indo-Pacific by fabricating parts in theater.

On the command-and-control front, the 4th Infantry Division is testing battlefield apps on ruggedized tablets, replacing the trucks and racks of radios that have long anchored Army command posts. The move aims to shrink headquarters and make them harder to target, though outside experts warn that relying on consumer-style devices could introduce new cyber vulnerabilities and durability concerns in combat. Driscoll credited President Trump with backing the Army’s overhaul, saying, “They’ve held the line every single time when we have made a hard decision.” He acknowledged that the $48 billion in cuts faces defenders in Congress and in industry, underscoring the political complexity of modernization.

The broader trajectory reflects a deliberate blending of AI, autonomous systems and rapid acquisition reform to outpace adversaries. By integrating AI into field training, logistics and command networks, the Army aims to shorten the cycle from idea to fielded capability. Officials stress that success will depend not just on new hardware or software, but on secure, scalable systems able to operate in contested environments where communications and supply lines may be disrupted.

Looking ahead, officials say the Army’s AI-forward approach will extend to more units and more mission sets, from battlefield maintenance and logistics to sensor fusion and target acquisition. The objective is not to replace soldiers but to augment decision-making, reduce response times and improve survivability in high-threat environments. As defense budgets tighten and adversaries expand their own AI-enabled capabilities, the Army’s push to accelerate fielding and expand the use of consumer technology will be watched closely by lawmakers, industry partners and allied forces.