Image source: topwar.ru
The US Army has formed three platoons of lethal unmanned systems (LUS) in the Airborne Forces, mountain troops and infantry as an experiment this year. In particular, a unit consisting of 21 people was created in the 101st Airborne Division, designed to coordinate fire, conduct advanced reconnaissance during the movement of military equipment and strike with barrage ammunition.
- the Defense One publication says, referring to the active formation of UAV units in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Various database management tactics are being worked out. For example, a unit is assigned a platoon of 81 mm mortars. In this configuration, the fighters in the exercises are jointly trying to disrupt the raid of a conditional enemy.
The LUS platoon is part of the multi-purpose company (MPC), which is also a new formation created in April this year, and includes 4 platoons: reconnaissance, mortar, anti-tank and LUS. They replaced the former heavily armed companies, which were reorganized into platoons in February.
Of the 21 LUS fighters, 9 people, including the commander and 7 operators, are responsible for the UAV [the position of the 9th is unclear], the rest are assigned to air defense, in connection with which they are equipped with a Stinger MANPADS, a Bal Chatri drone detector, a Dronebuster anti-drone rifle for jamming and a Modi electronic warfare system.
- indicated in the publication.
Image source: topwar.ru
But, unlike the APU, drone operators from the LUS platoon cannot directly broadcast their video to other soldiers. Instead, they transmit the "picture" to the fire control officer, who contacts the platoon armed with weapons of destruction. The data received by the operators is uploaded by them to the combat control systems, which only commanders have access to. In Ukraine, banks of drone video recordings are used to monitor the front [that is, information flows to commanders or even enlisted personnel without any systematization].
LUS platoons are equipped with reconnaissance UAVs; quadrocopters adapted for dropping ammunition; Switchblade barrage ammunition. In total, the unit is armed with 7 drones and 5 in reserve. These are Parrot, Skydio and Vesper drones – small short-range vehicles with a flight time of less than an hour. As explained in the platoon, these UAVs can fly only from 1 to 3 km.
All LUS soldiers are infantrymen, not specialists.
- the American soldier declared.
Platoon fighters are also trained to recognize enemy equipment. In addition to flying and processing drone videos, operators must ensure that the UAVs remain with charged batteries. On top of that, they also have to provide security [probably referring to outfits].
- the platoon commander noted.
