{"id":69487,"date":"2024-09-19T11:53:45","date_gmt":"2024-09-19T11:53:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2024\/09\/19\/australian-army-to-grow-diversify-its-drone-fleet\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T01:08:53","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T01:08:53","slug":"australian-army-to-grow-diversify-its-drone-fleet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/global\/asia-pacific\/2024\/09\/19\/australian-army-to-grow-diversify-its-drone-fleet\/","title":{"rendered":"Australian Army to grow, diversify its drone fleet"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

MELBOURNE, Australia \u2014 The Australian Army seeks to lean more heavily on aerial drones, with a comprehensive upgrade program for all size classes now in the pipeline, according to a service official.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy prediction, ahead of any formal requirement being provided, is that future warfighting will see an increase in platforms with increased sophistication and capabilities,\u201d Col. Helen Mammino, Director Battlefield Aviation Program of the Army Aviation Command, said here on Sept. 11 at the Australian Association for Uncrewed Systems conference, held in conjunction with the Land Forces 2024 event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The opportunity arises because advances in robotics and autonomy are converging with new drone developments, according to Mammino.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne of the key features for our objective-force operating environment will be the abundance and proliferation of uncrewed aerial systems,\u201d or UAS, she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\t