ROK, U.S. troops train with drones, laser sensors
Reuters
Republic of Korea (ROK) and United States troops held joint future combat drills involving drones, an uncrewed vehicle and wearable laser sensors in late October 2023, as the ROK military conducts its annual Hoguk exercises to enhance responses to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats.
Soldiers from the longtime allies joined forces for urban warfare drills at the Korea Combat Training Center in the mountains of the eastern city of Inje, South Korea.
The drills also mobilized high-tech weapons systems designed to bolster combat capabilities, with troops wearing multiple integrated laser engagement systems (MILES), which use lasers to simulate battle conditions.
Drones provided reconnaissance, with some also firing assault rifles, while ROK troops dispatched a multipurpose uncrewed vehicle to transport personnel in medical evacuation drills.
The uncrewed assets and MILES gear helped troops identify enemy forces and gauge casualties during the simulated battles, said Capt. Choi Jeong-Il of the ROK Army’s 25th Infantry Division, known as the TIGER brigade.
“We were able to confirm the enemy’s movements using the drones, and hit them with the cutting-edge strike equipment, which allowed us to maximize the results of the operation while minimizing damage to our forces,” he said.
U.S. Army 1st Lt. Derek Chen of the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team said the drills offered an “eye-opening experience” and that the assets will benefit future combat operations.
The ROK Army launched the TIGER brigade in 2022 as a pilot unit for future warfare operations that will use artificial intelligence-powered drones and highly mobile fighting vehicles. It aims to transform all combat units based on that model by 2040.
The ROK Army also held its first international future warfare competition in October 2023 with 300 troops participating from five countries, including Cambodia, the United Kingdom and Uzbekistan.
