Pentagon sends US troops to Ukraine to study drone warfare on battlefield
Silicon Valley of war: Why US sent military personnel to Ukraine (photo: Getty Images)
The Pentagon sent US military personnel to Ukraine to learn how drones are used in real combat conditions. The US wants to adopt Ukraine's experience in countering UAVs, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a Senate committee hearing.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called Ukraine the Silicon Valley of war and asked whether Pete Hegseth supports trips there by Pentagon officials to gain experience.
Hegseth confirmed this and clarified that he personally approved sending additional personnel.
Why the US is learning in Ukraine
The purpose of trips is to study drone technologies directly on the battlefield.
"In fact, I've personally approved additional personnel there to learn from that drone battlefield, both on offense and defense, to ensure that we're learning every possible lesson from that conflict and incorporating it in real time into how we defend and we go on offense in an era where drone dominance is required," he said.
According to Hegseth, this is exactly why the budget spends so much on drones.
"Take the lessons learned from Ukraine and other battlefields and ensure we're applying them throughout the fighting force as quickly as possible," Hegseth said.
Senator Chris Coons called Ukraine the leader in drone development and counter-drone warfare.
He recalled that the US, while fighting Iran, also faced the problem of cheap mass-produced Shahed drones and urged Washington to realize that Ukraine already has an answer to this threat.
A day earlier, Hegseth came under heavy pressure in Congress, as lawmakers demanded explanations regarding billions in spending on the war with Iran and a lack of a clear strategy.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is preparing to deploy the world's first drone wall from Atreyd — a system of dozens of small drones capable of creating a defensive barrier against Shahed drones and guided aerial bombs.
