The 10th Mountain Division was established during World War II as the US Army’s leading mountain warfare unit. It maintains that responsibility today.
Last month, the United States Army’s 10th Mountain Division announced that it had formed a new unit entirely focused on drone warfare. Fox Company, 1-10 Attack Battalion, which was activated under the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, will be dedicated to achieving “drone dominance,” the US Army announced.
“Current conflicts have proven that the modern battlefield is more lethal than ever before, primarily due to the potent combination of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and long-range fires,” said Lt. Col. Chris Stoinoff, the commander of 1st Battalion (Dragon), 10th Aviation Regiment. “The US Army is currently investing in counter-UAS systems to protect our forces from this threat. But at the same time, we are developing a robust offensive launched effects and UAS capability to take the fight to our enemies.”
The new unit, activated on December 16 and based at Fort Drum, New York, will focus almost entirely on offensive actions. It will work with the 10th Mountain Division’s innovation unit to design, develop, and produce drone components in-house.
The partnership will allow for “faster creation, adaptation, and integration of new technology directly into the unit, placing the company at the forefront of the Army’s efforts to integrate unmanned systems,” the service added. It will further ensure that 10th Mountain is equipped with the “advanced tools needed to out-see, out-reach, and out-maneuver any adversary on the battlefields of today and tomorrow.”
The US Army Is Building Drones for the “Falcon Brigade”
Stoinoff added that these newly developed “robots” and other unmanned systems will be tasked with carrying out a “multitude of missions,” which include conducting reconnaissance, acting as decoys, jamming enemy communications, and even “delivering lethal strikes” on enemy positions.
“That’s what Fox Company provides to the Falcon Brigade, a group of highly trained professionals who will hunt and kill our enemies in the division’s deep area. By integrating Fox Company’s recon forces with the overwhelming firepower of three Apache companies, 1st Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment will decisively win battles for the 10th Mountain Division,” Stoinoff explained.
The creation of the 10th Mountain Division’s new offensive tactical drone unit is just the latest effort by the Department of Defense to increase its focus on drone warfare. It followed the formation last month of the Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF-401) as the lead counter-drone unit, which was raised to share data with the Golden Dome missile defense project.
The 10th Mountain Division Has Long Been an Innovation Pioneer
The 10th Mountain Division has already been at the forefront of counter-drone defense, tasked with developing and deploying counter-UAS (unmanned aerial systems) to protect personnel and bases from enemy drones. Moreover, the elite unit has been working with its innovation cells to develop drone technology, which can support ground troops by providing greater connectivity and situational awareness in hostile territory.
Since its formation more than 80 years ago, 10th Mountain has been a unit at the forefront of innovation. It could be argued that, in addition to developing new fighting tactics, it practically created a popular winter leisure activity.
Originally designated as the US Army’s first specialized mountain warfare unit and activated as the 10th Light Division (Alpine) in 1943, it was redesignated the 10th Mountain Division in 1944. There is no arguing that it has lived up to the motto, “Climb to Glory.”
After World War II, veterans of the 10th Mountain Division went on to found at least 62 ski areas and open ski schools at now-famous locations such as Vail, Aspen, Sugarbush, Whiteface Mountain, and others.
Veterans of the unit also launched the first American ski magazines, while others founded sporting goods companies that manufactured products for the mass market. Although they didn’t create the American ski industry, those veterans certainly revolutionized it by establishing ski schools and new resorts. Most importantly, they made the sport more accessible to middle-class Americans.
The question now facing the Army is: what more could the 10th Mountain do with drones at their side?
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Shutterstock / Bumble Dee.
