US Army paratroopers assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division recently took part in an inaugural training event with the Bumblebee V2 interceptor system on April 22, marking the first operational test of the prototypes purchased by Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF-401) earlier this year.
The Bumblebee V2, funded through a USD 5.2 million investment in February, is a first-person-view, multirotor drone. The new system was first deployed in March as part of JIATF-401’s initiative to accelerate the delivery of counter-drone technology.
The test event at Fort Bragg served as a practical exercise for 20 paratroopers to engage directly with the system and provide real-time feedback.
“The [Bumblebee] V2 is a major leap forward because it doesn’t rely solely on the skill of the drone operator,” said Army Sgt. Maj. Kellen Rowley, JIATF-401 senior enlisted advisor to the director. “Its automated target recognition allows the drone to lock on and engage an adversary drone autonomously, letting soldiers focus on situational awareness and tactics.”
Paratroopers at Fort Bragg practiced fundamentals essential to both using and defending against uncrewed aerial systems (UAS). Soldiers learned to interpret sensor, radar and camera data and make split-second decisions about when to launch counter-UAS interceptors.
“Just as every soldier is trained in basic rifle marksmanship before handling live rounds, we want to ensure that they can master the fundamentals of UAS operation and employment of passive countermeasures before expecting them to operationally employ an air-to-air interceptor,” Rowley said.
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Image: A Bumblebee drone takes off at Fort Bragg, N.C., April 22, 2026. The Bumblebee is under development to add the capability of autonomous target identification and air-to-air interception. (U.S. Army Photo by Staff Sgt. Cory Reese)
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