How Ukraine’s Drone War Is Forcing the U.S. Army to Rewrite Its Battle Doctrine – Military.com

 

Report on the U.S. Army’s Strategic Modernization in Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

In response to evolving global security landscapes, the United States Army is undertaking a comprehensive strategic overhaul. This transformation, informed by observations from the conflict in Ukraine, emphasizes technological innovation, resource efficiency, and institutional agility. These efforts align with several key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).

Fostering Innovation and Resilient Infrastructure (SDG 9)

The Army’s modernization program is centered on fostering innovation and building a more resilient and technologically advanced defense infrastructure, directly supporting the targets of SDG 9.

Adapting to Technological Disruption

The proliferation of unmanned aerial systems (drones) has fundamentally altered operational environments, eliminating traditional concealment and compelling a re-evaluation of established tactics. In response, the Army is prioritizing rapid technological adoption.

• A directive issued by War Secretary Pete Hegseth mandates that every Army squad be equipped with unmanned systems by the end of 2026.
• Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George has emphasized the need to move away from long-term development programs toward more agile systems that can adapt to the rapid pace of technological change.
• Exercises are being conducted at an unprecedented scale to integrate new technologies. The 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, recently fielded 144 experimental drones during a training rotation to enhance reconnaissance and target acquisition capabilities.

Reforming Procurement for Enhanced Efficiency

The Army is studying Ukraine’s “Brave1” digital procurement system as a model for innovation in its institutional processes. This initiative seeks to create a more efficient, transparent, and responsive supply chain, a key component of building strong institutions (SDG 16) through innovative infrastructure (SDG 9).

1. The Brave1 system functions as a digital marketplace, allowing front-line commanders to order equipment directly from manufacturers.
2. This model drastically reduces delivery times, with some equipment arriving in as little as a week.
3. The system incorporates a performance-based incentive structure, where units earn points for destroying high-value targets, which can be redeemed for more advanced equipment.

Promoting Responsible Consumption and Production Patterns (SDG 12)

The economic dynamics of modern conflict have highlighted the need for more sustainable and resource-efficient defense strategies, aligning with the principles of SDG 12.

Economic Re-evaluation of Military Assets

The conflict in Ukraine has demonstrated a significant economic imbalance, where low-cost unmanned systems can neutralize high-value, resource-intensive assets. This has prompted a strategic shift toward more sustainable production and consumption models.

• Inexpensive FPV drones, costing approximately $400, have proven capable of destroying M1 Abrams tanks valued at up to $10 million.
• In some sectors, such drones are responsible for up to 90 percent of vehicle losses.
• This disparity encourages a move away from large, costly platforms toward mass-produced, cost-effective systems, reflecting a more responsible consumption of national resources.

Developing Sustainable Domestic Production and Maintenance

To support this strategic shift, the Army is investing in domestic industrial capacity and sustainable maintenance practices.

• The U.S. Army plans to domestically produce up to 10,000 small drones per month starting in 2026, fostering domestic industry and innovation (SDG 9).
• Emphasis is being placed on localized, rapid repair capabilities, including the use of 3D printing for spare parts, which reduces waste and logistical strain, thereby promoting a more circular and sustainable economic model within the institution.

Strengthening Institutions and Human Capital (SDG 16 & SDG 8)

The transformation involves significant changes to institutional structures, tactics, and workforce skills, contributing to the development of stronger, more effective institutions (SDG 16) and investing in human capital (SDG 8).

Reorganizing Institutional Structures for Modern Operations

The Army is reorganizing its formations to adapt to the new realities of the battlefield, ensuring its institutions remain effective and accountable.

1. Tactical Redesign: Heavy armor, such as tanks, is being shifted from a primary assault role to a fire support function to reduce vulnerability and preserve valuable assets.
2. Creation of Specialized Units: New “strike companies” are being formed, built around drone platoons as the primary tool for reconnaissance and engagement before traditional ground forces make contact.
3. Modern Equipment Integration: These new units are being equipped with advanced systems like Anduril Ghost drones, PDW C100 reconnaissance systems, and Switchblade 600 loitering munitions.

Investing in Workforce Development and New Skills (SDG 8)

A central component of this modernization is the upskilling of personnel, ensuring a capable and productive workforce equipped for future challenges.

• The Army has launched its first official drone course at Fort Rucker, Alabama, to institutionalize new skills.
• The curriculum includes simulated flight training, hands-on operation, and maintenance skills, including manufacturing drone parts with 3D printers.
• This investment in training aims to make drone operation a core competency for every soldier, akin to their personal weapon, thereby promoting valuable technical skills and ensuring decent work within the institution.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

• The article extensively discusses technological innovation, specifically the rapid development and deployment of drones in modern warfare. It highlights how the U.S. Army is overhauling its procurement systems, unit structures, and tactics to integrate these new technologies.
• It focuses on building resilient infrastructure within the military, such as creating agile digital procurement systems like Ukraine’s “Brave1” and establishing domestic mass production capabilities for drones, with a target of “10,000 small drones each month starting in 2026.”
• The redesign of traditional platforms like the Abrams tank to be lighter and better protected against drone threats also falls under industrial and technological innovation.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• The entire article is framed within the context of the Russia-Ukraine war, a major international conflict that undermines peace and security. It directly addresses the lethal consequences of armed conflict.
• It details the strengthening of a key national institution, the U.S. Army, as it adapts its doctrines, training, and equipment to enhance its combat effectiveness. This includes creating new “strike companies” and launching new training courses for soldiers.
• The article provides data on the lethality of modern warfare, noting that drones account for “approximately 70 percent of Russian casualties in Ukraine,” which relates directly to the goal of reducing violence and death rates.

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

• The article highlights a shift in production and consumption patterns within the defense sector. It points out the economic inefficiency of using multi-million dollar tanks against inexpensive drones, stating that “$400” drones have destroyed “M1 Abrams tanks worth $8 million to $10 million.”
• It describes efforts to achieve more efficient use of resources through new procurement models that reduce waste and delivery times, such as the “Brave1” system delivering drones “in as little as a week.”
• The focus on repairing drones quickly (“emergency repairs in hours rather than days or weeks”) and manufacturing parts with 3D printers points towards reducing waste and promoting the reuse of military assets.

What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Targets under SDG 9

1. Target 9.5: Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors… encouraging innovation.

   The article is a case study of this target. The U.S. Army is upgrading its technological capabilities by adopting drone technology, creating new drone-led strike units, and redesigning tanks. The establishment of new drone training courses and the testing of “144 experimental drones” in exercises are direct efforts to enhance research and encourage innovation within the military.

2. Target 9.b: Support domestic technology development, research and innovation.

   This target is directly addressed by the U.S. Army’s plan to “domestically produce upward of 10,000 small drones each month starting in 2026.” This initiative aims to build a sovereign mass production capability for a critical new technology, reducing reliance on external supply chains and fostering domestic industry.

Targets under SDG 16

1. Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.

   While the article discusses making warfare more effective rather than reducing it, it is fundamentally about the nature of violence in conflict. It provides specific data on the consequences of violence, such as drones causing “70 percent of Russian casualties” and up to “90 percent of Russian vehicle losses.” This data is relevant to understanding and measuring the impact of violence, which is the focus of this target.

2. Target 16.a: Strengthen relevant national institutions… to build capacity at all levels.

   The article details how a national institution, the U.S. Army, is strengthening its capacity in response to lessons learned from the Ukraine war. This includes overhauling procurement, reorganizing infantry battalions, creating specialized drone units, and implementing new training programs to build skills in drone operation and repair across the force.

Targets under SDG 12

1. Target 12.2: Achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.

   The article discusses the highly inefficient use of financial and material resources when “$8 million to $10 million” tanks are destroyed by “$400” drones. The Army’s shift towards more cost-effective drone systems and agile procurement methods reflects a move towards greater resource efficiency in a military context.

2. Target 12.5: Substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.

   This target is implied in the discussion of new maintenance and supply capabilities. The ability of Ukrainian workshops to provide “emergency repairs in hours” and the U.S. Army training soldiers to “manufacture drone parts using 3D printers” are methods to reduce waste by repairing and reusing equipment rather than discarding and replacing it.

Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Indicators for SDG 9 Targets

• Domestic Production Capacity: The plan to “domestically produce upward of 10,000 small drones each month” serves as a quantifiable indicator for Target 9.b.
• Rate of Technological Adoption: The directive for “every Army squad to be equipped with unmanned systems by the end of 2026” is a clear metric for measuring the integration of new technology (Target 9.5).
• Procurement Speed: The delivery time of “as little as a week” through Ukraine’s “Brave1” system is an indicator of efficiency in procurement infrastructure, contrasting with traditional systems that “take years to develop” (Target 9.5).

Indicators for SDG 16 Targets

• Conflict-Related Casualties by Weapon Type: The statistic that “Drones account for approximately 70 percent of Russian casualties” is a direct indicator for measuring death rates in conflict (Target 16.1).
• Conflict-Related Property Destruction: The estimate of “$7 billion in damage” from a single drone operation is an indicator of the destructive impact of violence on infrastructure and assets (Target 16.1).
• Institutional Reorganization: The creation of three new “strike companies” within the 10th Mountain Division is a concrete indicator of institutional capacity building (Target 16.a).

Indicators for SDG 12 Targets

• Cost-Effectiveness Ratio: The cost comparison of a “$400” drone versus an “$8 million to $10 million” tank provides a stark indicator of resource efficiency (Target 12.2).
• Equipment Repair Time: The ability to perform “emergency repairs in hours rather than days or weeks” is a measurable indicator of reducing waste and maximizing the operational life of equipment (Target 12.5).

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

SDGs	Targets	Indicators
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure	9.5: Enhance research and upgrade technological capabilities. 9.b: Support domestic technology development and innovation.	– Number of domestic drones produced per month (target of 10,000). – Percentage of army squads equipped with drones by 2026. – Procurement and delivery time for new technologies (e.g., one week).
SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions	16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates. 16.a: Strengthen relevant national institutions.	– Percentage of casualties attributed to specific weapons (e.g., 70% from drones). – Monetary value of property destroyed in conflict (e.g., $7 billion). – Number of new specialized military units created (e.g., three “strike companies”).
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production	12.2: Achieve efficient use of resources. 12.5: Substantially reduce waste generation.	– Cost-effectiveness ratio of weapon systems (e.g., $400 drone vs. $8M tank). – Turnaround time for equipment repairs (e.g., hours vs. weeks). – Use of on-demand manufacturing (e.g., 3D printing) for spare parts.

Source: military.com