The U.S. Army is accelerating the deployment of small uncrewed aircraft systems, or SUAS, to Transformation in Contact, or TiC, brigades as part of the Short-Range Reconnaissance, or SRR, program.
Col. Danielle Medaglia, UAS project manager, cited the rapid evolution of technology across the UAS environment.
“Therefore, in parallel to fielding the next tranche of SRR we are already working on future capabilities, leveraging new mature technology and quickly iterating on Soldier feedback,” Medaglia said in a statement published Tuesday.
“Continuous iteration and integration of new technology, multi-vendor awards, and continuous competition ensures we can field the most capable and cost effective UAS, at scale, that aligns with Soldier needs,” the colonel added.
Learn more about the service branch’s modernization initiatives, force structure optimization, national security missions and more at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Army Summit on June 18.
Small UAS Under the Short-Range Reconnaissance Program
The small drones under the SRR program are designed to act as force multipliers and are equipped with advanced sensors to provide commanders with real-time intelligence, reconnaissance and target acquisition capabilities for rapid decision-making on the modern battlefield.
These SUAS help improve troop survivability through threat detection, support ground operations, enhance operational flexibility and enable precision fires.
Deploying Tranche 2 Small UAS to Combat Teams
In April, the UAS Project Office within the Army’s Program Executive Office for Aviation responded to a request to field Tranche 2 SUAS to the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division in support of their rotation at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Johnson in Louisiana. Within a month, the office delivered Skydio X10D systems to the combat team under the Army’s TiC 2.0 initiative. The Army is also preparing to deploy the Black Widow system from Teal Drones through the initiative.
The service’s TiC Brigades will use Skydio and Teal systems to further improve procedures, tactics and techniques for using networked reconnaissance and surveillance platforms against emerging threats on the battlefield.
“The rapid deployment of Tranche 2 SUAS to our combat teams is a testament to our commitment to providing Soldiers with the most advanced tools available,” said Brig. Gen. David Phillips, program executive officer for aviation. “These systems are not just about technology; they are about enhancing our operational capabilities and ensuring the safety and effectiveness of our troops on the ground.”
The military branch noted that Tranche 2 UAS systems are developed using feedback from soldiers and include several enhancements, including a new ground control station, improved autonomy and modular architecture.
