US Special Ops to Use 500+ Seized Chinese Drones in Training
Instead of being incinerated, more than 500 Chinese-made drones confiscated by the US state of Florida will be handed over to the US Special Operations Command for target practice and evaluation.
The drones will be used in the “Military Drone Crucible” event from December 4 to 6 at Camp Blanding in Florida. It is expected to be the “largest counter-drone destruction event” in US history, Bloomberg quoted United States National Drone Association President Nate Ecelbarger.
Their software will be reprogrammed to prevent them from signaling back to China before being deployed for live-fire exercises, an unnamed source familiar with the matter informed the Jerusalem Post.
Under Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration, drones originating from a “foreign country of concern” — which included China — were banned from being used by government agencies starting in April 2023.
‘Military Drone Crucible’
A two-day conference focused on discussing offensive and defensive tactics and training scenarios will precede the three-day event in December, which builds on a previous counter-UAS demonstration held in August.
The August event involved Epirus’ Leonidas electromagnetic weapon downing 49 drones in one go at Camp Atterbury in Indiana.
Meanwhile, the December event will reportedly host similar training sessions, with elite troops engaging drones using various weapons, including shotguns as a last-resort countermeasure, as they clear rooms and attack enemy convoys.
Some of the weapons containing denser tungsten buckshot to maintain force and speed over distance — and specially modified ammunition — will be supplied by Idaho-based firearms manufacturer Genesis Arms.
Several of the seized drones will also be used at an upcoming United States National Drone Association training in 2026.
This initiative supports the Pentagon’s broader efforts to ensure a sufficient counter-drone capability amid reports of it lagging behind China’s drone progress.
