Special operators seek larger ranges for electronic warfare and drone development and training
“We're going to start having some of these uncomfortable discussions,” said one official.
Patrick Tucker | December 17, 2025
Special Operations Drones Technology
U.S. special warfare trainers are asking government regulators to expand the areas where the military can jam cellular and GPS signals to simulate a modern warfare environment, officials said Tuesday.
The need is urgent, officials from the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, or SWCS, said, because—as seen in Ukraine—drones and electronic warfare are soaring in importance.
U.S. troops must learn to operate amid jamming that is far more powerful and ubiquitous than just a few years ago. In Ukraine, this has led to drones controlled by fiber-optic cables or even their own autonomous systems.
Some Russian drones use high-powered (and often illicitly acquired) chips to pick out targets based on things like shape and size, reducing their dependence on jammable communications or navigation systems.
https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2025/12/special-operators-seek-expanded-electronic-drone-warfare-test-sites-us/410248/?oref=d1-skybox-hp
