U.S. Army cancels Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System program

The United States Army announced the cancellation of its Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (FTUAS) program due to rapid advancements in technology. In a letter addressed to Army leaders, Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll and Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Randy A. George emphasized the need for a transformation into a more agile and lethal force that quickly adopts new technologies. The FTUAS program had aimed to create a successor to the RQ-7 Shadow drone for brigade-level intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. Interestingly, despite the program's significant milestones achieved in September 2024, including transformational capabilities like Vertical Takeoff and Landing and modular open systems, the Army determined that maintaining long-term procurement plans was impractical. They stated that the battlefield is evolving rapidly, necessitating a shift to quick, modular solutions and widespread drone deployment rather than sticking to older technologies that may not succeed in future warfare. The Army plans to first field divisions with a thousand drones and then experiment with these systems to determine their effectiveness before requesting additional funding for more units. This new approach is intended to respond to immediate challenges rather than depend on outdated weapons systems, aligning strategies with the requirements of modern warfare. Additionally, in anticipation of future needs, the Army previously evaluated various competitors through conformance evaluations and flight demonstrations at the Redstone Test Center. This included Textron Systems’ Aerosonde Mk 4.8 HQ and Griffon Aerospace’s Valian. As the Army adjusts its approach to the integration of uncrewed aircraft systems in light of the rapidly evolving technological landscape, it remains to be seen if older systems, like the RQ-7 Shadow, will continue to serve in their ISR roles as over 500 remain in service.