US Air Force building small fighter drones to boost combat effectiveness

The U.S. Air Force’s Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) Battle Lab at Shaw Air Force Base is pioneering the development of small, cost-effective fighter drones to enhance combat effectiveness across the U.S. Central Command area. Traditionally reliant on expensive unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), the Air Force is now exploring diverse drone applications—including terrain mapping, electronic warfare, and medical supply delivery—as force multipliers across various military roles. This initiative aligns with a July 2025 directive from U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth emphasizing rapid adoption of emerging drone technologies and empowering warfighters with procurement authority to maintain drone dominance. The AFCENT Battle Lab team, composed of a small core of permanent personnel supplemented by rotating software engineer deployers, has been innovating by studying commercial drones and using 3D printing to build custom drones of various designs and functions at a fraction of commercial costs. Their iterative approach embraces trial and error, with