The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that 282 personnel are currently participating in the British Army’s centralised small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (sUAS) training pathways, according to a written parliamentary answer from Armed Forces Minister Al Carns.
Responding to questions from Conservative MP James Cartlidge, Carns said centralised training is delivered through the Land Warfare Centre, with further instruction then carried out at unit level across the Field Army.
He told Parliament: “Centralised training in small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (sUAS) is delivered by the Land Warfare Centre, with distributed training subsequently provided by individual units within the Field Army.”
As of February 2026, Carns confirmed: “282 personnel are currently participating in the British Army’s centralised sUAS training pathways.”
However, he acknowledged that the MOD does not hold complete figures for training delivered at unit level, stating: “Exact figures for those currently undertaking distributed training are not available as these figures are not held centrally.”
Looking ahead, the MOD said it has expanded training capacity, with Carns adding: “We have currently made available 915 spaces for centralised training and expect around 2,000 personnel to undertake distributed training in future financial years.”
Then quadruple the number of operators, then double that tenfold.
Was thinking the same, at this point it should be standard training, equal to SA80 training.
Could it be weaved into common core skills, With annual refresher training similar to WHT?
Spot on.
Are those Olympic Skiers real targets then ?
Nowhere near enough if the reports about exercise 2025 are true.
Sorry, Spock? Please explain.
I’m guessing he’s referring to a wargame that was in the news recently where a Ukranian team “beat” a British team.
Ah, thanks.
Given their experience I’d not be surprised, though how do they define a victory?
I don’t know, I saw the usual headlines of “UKRAINE DE-STROYS BRITISH BRIGADE IN TOP SECRET HIGH STAKES WARGAME EXERCISE.” and didn’t investigate much further. When war games and exercises get treated like Video Games by the media rather than training and learning exercises you don’t really get much nuance in the text.
Ignorance is a choice 🤷🏻♂️
Spock, I’ve spent 11 years in the Army, have taken part in more war games and exercises than I can even begin to count. Choosing not to waste my time with sensationalist reporting is not a choice.
*not ignorance.
Hedgehog 2025 was an exercise not ‘a wargame’ and took place in Estonia over 18 days, with Estonia providing 16,000 servicemen and 11 other NATO partners contributing. Ten drone operators from Ukraine’s 412th Nemesis Brigade and 427th Rarog Brigade were able to stop and defeat a force consisting of two battalion in less than half a day. They conducted nearly 50 ‘strikes’ and achieved simulated destruction of 17 armoured vehicles as well as numerous ‘hits’ against deployed infantry.
The resulting conclusion was that existing NATO ground forces are not prepared tactically or equipment wise, to fight and survive in a drone infested environment. Ukraine has 4 years of practical experience of fighting this new type of war, as does Russia.
Should Russia decide to attack a NATO country, it’s not their elderly T72 tanks that will defeat our forces…
Hey Spock, It strikes me that you have a bit of a problem when It comes to social media politeness. How about trying a different approach, maybe a nicer less aggressive manner ?
If for example, you had writtain this first, you would more than likely have had a decent set of replies, maybe some nice freindly exchanges. It seems that DM Is trying really hard to be balanced and decent towards you in his replies yet you always have this confrontational and dismissive attitude (not just towards DM).
I have no Idea about your history on here or your reasons for this attitude but actually, I do respect a lot of your posts, It’s just a shame you feel the need to be so aggressive.
For what It’s worth, I’d rather read your stuff than any of the Multiple account Keyboard Idiots that seem to Infest this place.
Thanks for posting about Hedgehog 2025.
I ignore pointy lugs now, and a few others. DM is one of the most polite and wised up guys on here.
“Pointy Lugs” lol, It’s the Logical thing to do !
🤣🤣
So yeah not bothering to respond to Spock directly, but what he’s saying pretty much shows why I didn’t bother to read the article. Exercise/Wargame framed as adversarial, and free flowing when they generally are closely controlled to learn specific lessons and maximise training opportunities.
Thanks. I wasn’t aware of this one, but as said, not surprised given their experience and the Army’s lack of AA guns on vehicles.
Lots of programmes in the works, as usual, but no rapid results.
Must be all those Gun Bunnies that don’t have guns anymore and not likely too for a few more years, nothing like a spot of retraining to get your arse back in gear.
We are bound to be behind a curve. As a form or waging war I think it stinks. But its apparently the in thing to X Box an opponent now rather than look him in the eye before you shoot/bayonet him, or blow him up with a grenade. Still, “progress” so its a necessary “skill” for infantry to acquire.
I remember my grandad ( also light infantry ) speaking with disgust about The Machine Gun Corps in 14 t0 18. My attitude to drone “warfare” is the same.
I think mate, like all developments in warfare, there will be effective counters, then counter counters!
We are clearly behind the curve at this point. From my reading there are plenty of personnel training in using FPV at unit level. But on the defensive side, re a scenario Spock detailed, we need only look at our vehicles for a lack of any CUAS.
I’d read here that the Ajax cannon would be effective, but that’s in the doldrums. Buying an AA gun system the likes of which seem common in other armies is nowhere to be seen.
Soldiers are getting SMASH sights.
The truth is probably, as always, somewhere in the middle of Dern’s mention of the usual sensationalist tabloid headline that might ignore certain factors for a story and Spock’s Hedgehog exercise which exposed the shortcomings.
OT. The news is interesting this morning. It seems we are looking at ways to get to 3% of GDP by the end of this Parliament, so 2029.